Fusion
by Riyuto-san
Summary: Full summary inside. An incredible adventure of realization and power awaits Naruto as The Rookie 9 embark on an adventure to save the future of Konoha, which depends on Naruto learning an impossible jutsu. Pairings: NaruHina, and more.
1. Prologue: Best Friends

Summary: Naruto has had a friend like him since the age of 3. Now their 14, and an incredible adventure awaits. Naruto and the gang come across a mysterious temple, discovering a map that shows the destruction of Konoha and the 4 stones that can prevent it. Now Naruto, along with friend Riyu, and his friends will travel in order to find the stones. But what happens when Naruto realizes something about Hinata? Will a relationship bloom. When Orochimaru finds out about the stones, will he get them first. Read and find out!

( Author notes)/ This is my first fan fiction, so no flames in your reviews please. I would love constructive criticism, but no flames. This is the prologue. I will try to update whenever I can, so you won't have to wait that long. By the way, how was the summary?

And yes, I know that a 3 year old cannot speak like a 5 or 6 year old, but most anime characters can at such a young age. Get over it. I got several reviews picking at the stupidest things. (summons an asian) Do not question me, or I shall unleash this asian to steal all of your jobs.

Oh yeah, and Riyu is not a Gary-stu, he actually gets beat more than anyone. Give it a chance please. I work hard on this. And I say that Naruto is three, but remember he is born on the anniversary of Kyuubi, so he's about to turn 4 actually.

EDIT: Okay, so I got a complaint or two about Riyu being me self inserted into Naruto. Not true. I don't think that way. I think in plot. Riyu came about when I tried to imagine if Naruto had a childhood friend. Then I created a character based on that profile, and Riyu was born. If you don't like OCs, then don't read it. There are plenty of other stories out there. And of course Riyu would get a little screen time at first, because I wanted to let the reader get familiar with him before the story developed further.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do however own Riyu and Zulku. Take either of them and I will sue you!

* * *

**Prologue: Best Friends**

The sun was slowly setting behind the mountains, leaving the villagers with a spectacular show of colors and lights. The Hokage Monument was illuminated by the setting sun. The streets of Konohagakure were still crowded, but not like earlier in the day. The crowds had died down considerably, considering it was a Friday. It was to be the next day that the people of Konoha were to gather, to honor and mourn the loss of so many great shinobi. The people had lost mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and the Fourth Hokage, the Yondaime.

The Fourth Hokage had given his life to save the village from Kyubi, the dreaded Nine-Tailed Fox, three years reason for Kyuubi's initial attack still remained a mystery. Some speculated that it was jealous of Konoha's mighty power and sought to destroy it.

Others would say that it was a summoning of some sort. Although it was thought to be impossible for anyone to summon a demon fox, except for the One-Tailed Fox. Even he was unstable. The reason being that the demons were far too powerful to handle. Their power would overwhelm the certain ninja summoning. A fox demon would appear, saying " There is not enough blood," and immediately devour the ninja, absorbing all his or her chakra. Summoning never lasted more than a minute or two.

It seemed that as soon as the day had vanished, a new day had risen to replace it. Fresh morning dew had delicately nipped every strand of grass that could be seen. An eery fog swept through Konoha as the villagers reluctantly rose to greet the new day. The day had come to be known as "The cruelest day." It was the day where the cruel hands of fate snatched their beloved ones away. Especially their village champion, the Yondaime.

Shortly after the battle against the Kyubi, the Yondaime's body was found in the middle of an open field next to a crying newborn. The three shinobi that had ventured out to find any survivors closely inspected the blonde newborn infant. He had short, spiky blonde hair. What frightened the shinobi was the swirl shaped seal on his belly, and the whisker marks on each side of his face. They were skeptical, believing this being the Kyubi. They quickly decided to kill it. One raised a kunai in the air. The moment he was going in for the kill, a feint voice caught his ear.

"..Z-Zulku..." The Chuunin known as Zulku stopped his kunai in mid-air. He turned his head to the Hokage, whose body lay barely moving.

"..Please..please spare him." Yondaime said pleadingly. " H-he h..has done nothing wrong. Raise him in t..the village..." He finished as death overtook him.

"My lord, Lord Hokage?" Zulku said, as he knelt down towards his leader. He checked his pulse. He was dead.

Zulku turned towards the screaming infant with hate in his eyes.

"I hope your happy.." Zaku said as he approached the newborn. "..Kyubi." With that Zulku reluctantly picked the newborn up and carried him back to the village.

* * *

A three-year-old blonde hair, blue eyed child was beginning his usual walk around the village. He wore a black T-shirt with a swirl in the center, and a pair of blue shorts. Without parents to tell him not to, he could do almost anything he wanted. He wore his trademark ear-to-ear grin as he turned a corner. No matter how many people glared at him, called him names under their breaths, he would never take his smile off. It was Naruto's way of hiding his inner pain.

He knew everyone was upset about today, but he didn't really understand why. He had no reason to be upset, it was his birthday. He wanted to see what al the fuss was about, so he decided to go to the Yondaime Ceremony. Then again, he didn't know many things. He was only three. No one seemed to care it was his birthday, not a single person.

He knew he was heading in the right direction when he saw all the villagers gathering around a tower. Naruto knew he would never be able to get that close, so he decided to sit on a nearby bench. He could stand up on it and see almost everything. He silently glanced around.

To his left, he could see a row of shops, but the one that caught his eye was the "Yamanaka Flower Shop," where he could see a small girl with blonde hair being tossed around in the air lovingly by her father. He wished he had something like that. To his right was a crowded street of more people, then some more shops. In front, about three-hundred feet away, was the enormous Hokage Tower.

As the crowds began to center around the tower, silence overtook the entire crowd as drums began to play, echoing throughout the village. Soon, an old man wearing red and white clothes emerged from the tower. All the villagers began to clap and cheer, yelling "Long live Hokage," every few seconds. Naruto had stopped listening soon after the start. It seemed that everybody loved the Hokage. They would cheer for him, honor him, and even smile at him. Naruto was captivated.

He made the decision, right then, that he was going to be Hokage one day. Not just Hokage, but the greatest Hokage the village had ever had. It was his dream, the one thing to keep him going.

Naruto quickly leapt off of the bench at which he stood and started to run home. At least, the closest thing to a home he had.

The villagers had given him a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. On an almost daily basis, the land lord would inspect Naruto's living space. However, he would only check up on him briefly. Sticking his head in and out of the door was more like it.

As soon as Naruto flung the door open, he dashed into his room. It was riddled with dirty clothes and empty ramen cups everywhere. His bedroom consisted of a small dresser, a futon, a cramp closet, wooden desk, and a chair.

Naruto quickly discarded his old clothes and reached for some new clothes. Under an enormous pile of ramen cups, he found his favorite pair of clothes. An orange jacket, and orange pants. He didn't bother fixing up his hair, he liked it messy.

Quick as a flash, Naruto rushed out of his apartment, slamming the door shut as he left. He wanted to be Hokage, so he would need to mingle, right? He headed west, quickly turning a sharp corner. Unfortunately for him, he ran head first into an older boy. This caused the boy to fall back somewhat before regaining his balance. Naruto, on the other hand, had fallen back into a stand with a bucket of water on it, causing water to spill all over his head. Then the bucket fell on top of his head. He quickly removed it to find three boys, all older than him, glaring.

Naruto didn't know if it was the water or the sweat that was trickling down his face, but he knew this wasn't good.

"Hey kid", said the boy Naruto ran into, "Watch where your-." He stopped when he realized it was Naruto, and smirked.

He glanced at his friends, jerking his head in Naruto's direction. The other boys nodded with the same smirk as their friend as they approached Naruto and grabbed a different arm of Narutos.

Naruto attempted to break free, but it was useless.

"Hey you jerks." Naruto yelled," Let me -oof."

All air had left Naruto's lungs as the bigger kid repeatedly pounded his fists into his stomach. Naruto struggled, but could not get free because of the other two boys. Again and again the boy punched Naruto in the stomach.

Finally, the boys let go, and Naruto collapsed onto the ground, clutching his stomache in pain.

Naruto slowly lifted his head to see the boys walking away, laughing at the boy on the ground in pain. Naruto looked around, trying to find anyone that would help him. However, all he saw were people with approving smirks, and constant comments.

"Serves him right..."

"Damn fox..."

"I hope it dies."

Naruto sat up and brought his knees up to his chest. Wrapping his arms around his knees, he buried his face into his knees and began to cry.

No one cared. Not a single person.

"Hey kid." Came a small voice in front of Naruto, "Why are you cryin'?

* * *

Riyu was a kind boy. Although he had no friends, it didn't bother him as much as it would others. His favorite color was red, and he wore a blank red shirt with a pair of blue jean carpenter shorts. Sure, he wanted a friend, but some kids he saw were mean and picking on somebody. He could see some big kids picking on a young girl. He wanted to run and help her, but he was afraid of being called names like her. He sat behind a tree in the middle of a park, watching the torment.

He was flooded with relief when another girl her age came to her aid. She yelled something Riyu could not make out. The boys were immediately frightened and ran away. Riyu grinned as the girls conversed and giggled. The girls name was apparently Ally, that's all Riyu could make out before they got up and walked away. Riyu was relieved that he didn't have to help her. Girls were icky and had cooties. He was only three, what was he supposed to think.

He sighed as he turned around. The event causing him to wish he had someone to stick up for, or for someone to stick up for him. He thought about what just happened between the two girls. 'So, if you're nice to someone, then you get a friend.' He thought as an idea came into his head. A light smile found its way to his face as he walked away.

Beginning his journey across the village, he decided to cut through an alley that would take him to a row of stores. As he entered the alley, he could hear the feint sounds of a cry. He quickened his pace to discover the source of the noise. As he left the darkness of the alley and entered the light of day, he placed his left hand over his eyes to block out the sun.

There, across the street, was a small orange clad child with spiky blonde haired kid. He had his knees up to his chest, his legs wrapped around, and his face buried. Even with his face buried, Riyu could tell he was crying.

Riyu recalled the earlier events he had witnessed, and decided to get this boy to stop crying. He wanted to buy him something, a gift, that would make him happy, but what? He glanced around and found something. An ice cream stand sat not too far away from Riyu. It was perfect. He quickly dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out a few coins. He looked questioningly at the amount in his hands. He couldn't count, but he was determined to get a friend by the end of the day.

Deciding it was enough, he sprinted down to the stand. Discovering he only had enough money for one ice cream cone, he bought one and nervously walked over towards the crying kid. Thoughts began to fill his head, and none of them were good.

'What if he doesn't like me? What if he doesn't want a friend? What if...?' He was plagued by so many 'what ifs' he began to panic a little more.

As he looked at the little blonde boy, he felt sorry for him. He couldn't help it. He took a deep breath, and began to speak.

Naruto heard the small voice, and it sounded sincere. Naruto involuntarily found himself looking at a fellow boy. Naruto noticed he was wearing a blank red shirt and blue jean shorts. He was brunette with a diamond-shaped necklace dangling from his neck. Naruto also noticed that the boy also had somewhat bushy hair.

He looked him over once more. He was shocked someone had actually asked him if he was okay. Naruto found his voice.

"I'm fine." Replied Naruto, a few sniffles escaping. " I just..uhh..fell." A few tears escaped Narutos eyes, not going unnoticed. " Besides, why wouldn't I be okay? It is my birthday after all, believe it." He finished with a fake grin.

Riyu, ice cream in hand, plopped down next to Naruto, outstretching his legs.

"Then," Riyu began," Why aren't you at home celebrating with your mommy and daddy?"

Naruto couldn't believe it. Someone actually cared about his life. Like it held value. So, Naruto told him about how he didn't have a family, about everyone in the village hating him, with no friends and living alone. When Naruto finished, Riyu chuckled to himself.

Instantly, Naruto's hopes for a friend were dashed. This kid was laughing at him too. Just like all the others. A stray tear ran down his cheek.

Riyu quickly realized what he did wrong.

"Oh, sorry about that. It's just that we're not so different. I have no family, no friends, I live by myself, and some of the villagers hate me too. The only thing I do have of my parents is this necklace. I never take it off." Riyu finished, showing Naruto the neckalce. Naruto wasn't paying attention, he was dumbstruck.

'There's someone like me too.' He thought in amazement.

Riyu remembered the ice cream in his hand. He outstretched it to Naruto, who looked at it curiously.

"Ne, what's this?" Naruto asked, slightly confused.

"Ice cream, silly." Riyu responded with a grin plastered on his face." Happy birthday..uhh, what's your name?" He asked apologetically.

"Oh, it's Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage." He responded. " What's yours?"

"Uzuka Riyu."

Naruto glanced at the ice cream cone in Riyu's hands as Riyu stood up and stood in front of him.

"Can I have my ice cream?" Naruto asked, almost pleadingly.

"Sure." Riyu answered as he handed the ice cream to Naruto, who gladly took it. Greedily, he started eating it.

"You know what, Naruto?" Riyu asked, outstretching his right hand towards Naruto. " I have another gift for you. I'm gonna be your first friend."

"Do you really mean it Riyu?" Naruto shouted, causing Riyu to flinch just a bit.

Riyu smirked.

"Only if you take my hand." Riyu said, grinning.

Naruto looked down at his hand, and then at Riyu's. Naruto nodded with a grin and outstretched his left arm out to Riyu. Their hands met in a firm grip.

They were best friends from then on.

* * *

(A/N) Hope you like it. Took a while to post. I swear to you that it will get better. This could be called a "Need to be put in to understand the story chapter".

Please read and review, or I'll kill a kitten. (Just kidding)


	2. Ch 1 To Be Honest

(A/C) Here it is, the first official chapter of Fusion. Some people may not be liking Riyu right now, but give him a chance. Don't judge him by the prologue. He was only 3.

His name is pronounced (Re-you) by the way.

Here are the pairings that will hook up by the end of the trilogy:

Naruto/Hinata, Sasuke/Sakura, Kakashi/Kurunai, Neji/TenTen, Kiba/Ino, Shikamaru/Temari, Jiraiya/Tsunade, maybe Riyu/OC.

To all you Riyu haters, just remember this. It's either Riyu or Sai. Take your pick.

I'm no Masashi Kishimoto, so I do make typoes.

Disclaimer: If you honestly believe I own Naruto, then I have a country to sell you. I do own Riyu and Zulku though.

On with the story.

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The morning dew had departed Konoha, and the sun had risen to the peak of the sky, signaling the start of the afternoon. Everyone had already gone out. Shinobi on missions, villagers to work. However, one shinobi lay in his small bed, asleep.

Riyu had gotten up quite early so he could get his I.D. the day after he graduated from the academy. Once that was done, he went off in search of Naruto. The previous night, after Naruto had failed again, he decided to go out and find him, but to no avail. He gave up around 2:00 A.M. and went back to his apartment. ' I still can't believe Naruto failed,' was all Riyu could think all night.

After a few years of being friends with the obnoxious blonde, and alot of begging, Riyu moved next door to Naruto. The previous tenants were overjoyed that someone wanted their apartment. It took them less than a few days to move out. The hard part was convincing the Hokage and the orphanage to let him move there. He finally convinced the Hokage that he would be a good influence to Naruto.

Riyu just wished he had found Naruto the previous night. He even checked Naruto's apartment before he turned in, but he wasn't there. Riyu gave up and went to bed without changing into his pajamas.

Riyu woke up early, around 6:00 A.M. to get his I.D, but he had to wait two hours to actually get everything taken care of. He was tired, but he still searched for Naruto. After an hour, he decided to go home and get some much needed sleep.

The twelve year old genin lay in his bed in a peaceful sleep. He felt so tired that there was no way he was going to wake up anytime soon. No way at all.

' Bang, bang, bang.'

The sound immediately woke Riyu up, instantly guessing who was on the other side of the door.

' Please not Naruto, please not Naruto, PLEASE not Naruto.' He mentally begged, placing his pillow over his head.

" Riyu! Riyu!" Came the voice, " It's me, Naruto! Open the door. I have somethin' big to tell you. Believe it!" The banging never stopped.

' Darn. Now I'll_ never_ get to sleep.' Riyu thought as he sat up in his bed groggily.

Riyu sighed as he reluctantly got out of his nice, cozey bed, and made his way across the smooth wooden floor to the door. Supressing a yawn with one hand, he quickly opened the door to reveal an orange clad twelve year old kid with three whisker marks on each side of his face. He wore his usual grin that took up his entire face.

Quick as a flash, Naruto sped through the door and made his way into Riyu's kitchen. He searched the the cabinets before turning his head towards Riyu.

" Neh, where's your instant ramen?" He asked curiously.

" I hid it after your last visit." Riyu responded, rubbing some sleep out of his eyes, " You remember, the one where you ate it _all_." Riyu liked ramen, but nowhere near as much as Naruto. At Ichiraku's, Riyu would get two bowls. Naruto would get around fifteen, and Riyu almost always ended up paying for it all.

" Aha!" Naruto yelled in triumph, holding up two cups of ramen. " Found em'."

' Damn, now I have to find a new hiding place.' Riyu thought. " Naruto, what do you want. You failed the graduation exam. I thought you would be sulking." He said sadly.

At first, Naruto ignored him so he could prepare the ramen. Once it was made, he gave Riyu a cup and himself one. They both took their seats at Riyu's table. As soon as Naruto sat down, he took out his chopsticks and rapidly began to eat.

Riyu sighed. He hated it when people would wake him up when he had little sleep. Naruto did it all the time. Riyu would get him back a few times. One time, after Naruto had woken him from a two hour sleep, he put a few firecrackers in his ramen. Naruto couldn't talk for a week.

Riyu started eating his ramen, a little slower than Naruto, but it still was considered scarfing. He accidentally spilled some ramen on his necklace. The same necklace he never had nor never would take off.

Naruto had been an influence on Riyu, and vice versa. However, instead of wearing a jacket like Naruto, he wore a blank red shirt, blue carpenter jean shorts, bushy brunette hair, and his necklace. Riyu hated wearing pants. They just felt too weird for his liking.

After they both had finished their ramen, Riyu repeated his question.

" Naruto, what was so important that you almost destroyed my door, _again_?" Naruto had destroyed his door on seven different occasions. All involved a hairbrained scheme or an excellent practical joke.

Naruto put on his biggest grin as he pointed up at his forehead. Riyu slowly followed his hand until he saw it. A hitae-ate. A shinobi headband, and Naruto was wearing one.

Riyu was dumbstruck.

" How the hell did you get that?" Riyu asked. He was happy that his best friend was now an official shinobi, but he could still be suspicious. " You didn't steal it, did you?"

" Nope. It's mine, believe it." He said as he adjusted his position to lean towards Riyu. " Hey, do you wanna hear what happened?"

Riyu shrugged. " I've got time."

" Great, it went like this..."

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Naruto explained everything, exagerating some things, except he left out Kyubi. He wanted to wait as long as possible to tell his best friend. There was always the threat of Riyu ending the friendship. He had already woken him from his nap, and that was pushing it.

Immediately after the story, Naruto could tell that Riyu was impressed. Saving your sensei's life was no small task As if that wasn't enough, performing the kage bunshin no jutsu was a task that no other genin could do. However, something was off. Riyu became somewhat suspicious.

Riyu knew Naruto would embelish anything he could. So, Riyu decided to test him. Just to be sure he was telling the truth.

" Prove it." Riyu said with a slight smirk. Naruto grinned as he stood up, stretching his back as he did so.

Naruto put his hands into the cross seal, and immediately yelled, " KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU." Suddenly, the room was filled with at least twenty different Narutos. Each one wore the same grin. " Well?" They all said at the same time.

After recovering from the initial shock, Riyu decided to inspect the clones. He went over to the first clone and pinched it in the arm. Sure enough, they were solid copies of the loudmouth ninja. Riyu was definitely impressed.

" Whoa!" Riyu exclaimed, " I guess you weren't kiddin' after all"

" Nope." Naruto relpied.

" So," Riyu began," What else happened last night?"

Naruto instantly paled. He had hoped to avoid this question altogether, but they knew each other better than they knew themselves. So, it wasn't completely unthought of. Naruto had just hoped that Riyu would drop it.

" Wh-what do you mean?" Naruto studdered in fear. Sweat began to trickle down the side of his face as he dispelled his clones.

" I think you know what I mean." Riyu said, folding his arms across his chest, " You seem to be leaving something out."

Naruto hesitated a bit.

" I-uh-I don't want to tell you."

" What! Why not?"

" Because..."

" Because what?"

" Because...it's none of your business." Naruto stated, afraid that Riyu would see him as the Kyubi and abandon him.

" What do you mean it's none of my business?" Riyu asked, slightly annoyed, " Naruto, I'm your best friend. You can tell me anything."

" No I can't. You'll hate me." Naruto said as tears began forming in his eyes.

" Naruto," Riyu began," As your best friend, I tell you everything. In turn, it is your duty, as my best friend, to tell me your secret." Riyu was getting desperate. Something was bugging his buddy, and he had to find out what.

" Riyu, it's because you're my best friend I can't tell you." Naruto stated, avoiding eye contact with Riyu.

This was driving Riyu crazy. He knew how to push Naruto's buttons, how to make him mad. However, now , of all times, he couldn't make Naruto talk. He knew he had one more chance.

"Naruto," Riyu said, slight agitation hinted in his voice, " I became your first friend, I stayed your friend even when the villagers told me not to. I think I can handle whatever it is you have to say."

Naruto slowly met Riyu's eyes, cerulean blue locking with hazel. Riyu knew he had to think fast if he was going to convince Naruto to come clean.

Suddenly, an idea came to him.

" Besides, if you tell me your secret, I'll take you out to Ichiraku's Ramen Shop. I'll pay for every bowl you devour." Riyu said with a grin plastured on his face.

" Really?" Naruto asked.

" Of course! Have I ever joked about ramen before?"

" Yes."

" Okay, other than that year. Come on, I was skeptical." Naruto chuckled at the comment.

" Do you swear that you won't get mad?" Naruto asked pleadingly.

" On my honor as a shinobi of Konoha." He responded, pointing at his hitae-ate.

" Well.." Naruto gulped. ' Here goes everything.' He thought.

" Do you remember how the Kyubi attacked the village twelve years ago?" Naruto asked.

" Of course, the Yondaime killed it. Sacrificing himself to do it. Why?"

" Well, that's not all true"

" Huh?" Riyu asked confused.

" Well.. Kyubi didn't die. He was sealed inside the body of a newborn baby."

" Really, who?" Riyu asked, a little curious. It was a bit of a shock to learn that Kyubi lived, but it was also a little boring. He still had no clue what Naruto was talking about.

" Do you remember my birthdate?" Naruto asked.

" Yeah, October 10th. So?"

" What day did Kyubi attack?"

" October..." Riyu's eyes widened in realization. " Holy crap!"

" Yeah, I am the vessel for the Nine-Tailed fox." Another tear escaped his eye. " I...understand if you don't want me as a-"

He was interrupted by a laugh. Riyu's laughter.

' Why is he laughing. I thought he would be threatening me or something.' He thought curiously.

" Naruto," he said as he stopped laughing. " That's awesome Naruto. People say that you must be strong to be a demon vessel. Your strong Naruto.

The words ' your strong Naruto' played in his head over and over. He grinned, happy that his friend haden't cared he was a walking vessel.

" So, how about that ramen." Riyu said reaching for his wallet.

Naruto nodded as they made their way out of the apartment and to the greatest food in the world, in Naruto's mind anyway, each thinking they had the coolest friend.

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Sorry if the chapter seemed a little boring. It was just a filler chapter. The chapters only get better from here. Well, maybe not the next one entirely. You could call it a filler too.

Please no flames. I know it wasn't as good as it could be, but I hope it's satisfing.

I can update more soon. My two week break soon. I have 16 off to type my fanfiction.

Keep in mind that this is my first fan fiction. No mean reviews, PLEASE!

Since I got some reviews, I won't be killing the kitten. It came to my attention that Kyubi might have tried to kill me if I did.

Read and review or I'll kill a puppy. ( maybe)


	3. Ch 2 A Blood Oath

(A/N) Here you go, another chapter of Fusion. I went back and rewrote this chapter, so it's longer.

I apologize for the last chapter being so short. A certain someone that will go unnamed(**cough..mother..cough**) rushed me. I wanted to get it out that day, it was 10:00, and a school night.

For anyone that cares, I didn't kill a puppy. Because of you, I shall not be threatening to kill any animals for a very long time.

This is a chapter that is longer than the prologue, so be happy. After this chapter, the main action will begin, and the chapters will stay long.

Since this is a Naruto/Hinata fan fic, there will be some fluff in this chapter. I know that most of you reading this is reading it because of the N/H pairing, but it won't happen till close to the end. I don't like stories where they hook up immediately.( except for beyond hearts and minds, now that is one great exception)

The title won't make sense for a while.

Rated T just to be safe.

Oh, and whether you like it or not, Riyu is here to stay. I'm making him do the disclaimer today. Do it Riyu.

**Riyu:** Fine, Riyuto-san does not own Naruto. He does, sadly, own Zulku and me.

... On with the story

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" Oi, Naruto! Get your ass out of bed. Come on, wake up!" Riyu yelled, pounding on Naruto's door. They had seven minutes to get to the academy for team picks. Riyu didn't want to be late.

Riyu was getting so anxious, he almost gave up. That was until he heard an obnoxious voice from the other side of the wooden barrier.

" I'm coming, I'm coming. Sheesh, can't a guy get some sleep?" Naruto said, making his way to the door.

" Now you know how I feel almost every day of my life." Riyu said as Naruto turned the knob of his door.

Slowly, Naruto emerged from his apartment in his pajamas. Sleep was present in his eyes as he yawned.

" Do you remember what today is?" Riyu asked desperately.

Naruto shrugged and yawned again. Riyu shook his head and groaned.

" Graduation. Ring a bell?" Riyu asked.

Naruto's eyes suddenly lit up as he ran back into his apartment. Riyu could hear the slamming of droors, the flinging of clothes, and the flushing of a toilet. It took Naruto almost twenty seconds to do all of this before he emerged from his apartment, completely dressed from head to toe, an ear-to-ear grin plastered on his face.

" Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!" The overactive blonde yelled, pumping his fists in the air. He immediately shot off in the direction of the academy.

Riyu smirked and sprinted after him. Soon, only two blurs could be seen running throuought Konoha, one orange and one red.

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The young pearl eyed heir to the Hyuga clan could not help but watch Naruto, her long time crush, as he told Shikamaru all about his " great ninja skills," and how the hitae-ate was " made for him."

Her eyes then ventured over towards his friend, Riyu, who was shaking his head with a grin as he listen to Naruto boast and brag. Hinata was overjoyed that Naruto had passed, and very happy he had a friend.

' I only wish it were me sitting next to Naruto, being able to talk to him.' She thought. She couldn't help it. Since day one, she had wanted to hold him, be with him, and tell him she loved him. However, since she was too shy to talk to him, she just watched him from a safe distance. She sat back, just content that Naruto had passed.

Soon, a man walked into the academy room with a clipboard and paper. The man wore a regular shinobi vest, along with a horizontal scar that ran across his nose.

" All right class, listen up and quiet down." He ordered. When everyone went silent, he continued. " First off, congradulations to you all for passing. On that note, since there are 28 of you, and there are usually three man teams, I have talked to the officals and other high ranked shinobi, so there is going to be one four man team. .

Whispers ran throuought the room as their sensei, Iruka, tried to silence them. Once everyone was quiet again, He continued.

" All right, team one is..."

' I hope I'm on Naruto-kun's team.' Hinata thought

" Team two is..."

' Anyone but Naruto, but hopefully Sasuke.' The pink haired kunoichi, Haruno Sakura, thought.

" Team three is..."

' A team? That will only slow me down.' The raven haired Uchiha prodigy, Sasuke, thought.

" Team four is..."

' I hope I get on Naruto's team. Without me, the pranks won't be as good and he'll more than likely get himself killed.' Riyu thought.

" Team five is..."

' This is such a drag.' The lazy nara genius, Shikamaru, thought.

" Team six is..."

' I wonder what ramen I'm having tonight.' Naruto thought, slightly bored that his name had not been called yet.

" All right. Team seven, the four man squad, will be Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto's head raised a bit, " Haruno Sakura," Sakura's head dropped in defeat, while Naruto grinned in victory, " Uzuka Riyu," Now Riyu and Naruto were grinning, while Sakura muttered something under her breath. " And the fourth member of the team is Uchiha Sasuke." Sakura's head shot up in excitement, while Naruto's head dropped. Sasuke remained unmoved.

Sakura turned around to face her rival, Yamanaka Ino, with a grin that rivaled Naruto's and held up a V for victory hand sign.

' CHA! TRUE LOVE TRIUMPHS AGAIN' Inner Sakura boomed inside her head. Ino grunted and averted eye contact.

' Then, I won't be with Naruto.' Hinata thought in disappointment. Oh how it seemed the Gods were playing with her emotions.

" Team eight will be Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino." Kiba stiffened at the last name called. He didn't mind Hinata at all, but Shino was the one he had a problem with. Shino freaked him out.

" Team nine is..." He paused.

' I'm so hungry right now! I need to get out of here and get some food.' The fat kid, Akimichi Choji, thought as he scarfed down another bag of potatoe chips.

" Akimichi Choji, Yamanaka Ino, and Nara Shikamaru." A vein in Ino's head popped. She felt like she had gotten the short end of the stick. She was stuck with a lazy bum who complained about everything, and a fatty that would_ eat_ everything. This was going to suck, bigtime.

" All right, class. You're dismissed."

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After Team 7 had met Hatake Kakashi, their lazy masked ninja instructor, he gave them the bell test. They all passed the same way, except Riyu decided to try to get the food with Naruto, and he was caught as well. They stood, tied to stumps, arueing over whose fault it was for almost an hour.

In between all the D-ranked missions they recieved, Naruto would teach Riyu how to perform the Kage Bunshin No Jutsu. Riyu still was no expert, but he was getting there.

Soon, thanks to Naruto's complaining, they recieved their first C-ranked mission, the escort mission for Tazuna. On the bridge, Riyu had been with Sasuke during the original attack, and held his ground until Naruto got there. Shortly before Sasuke was out, Riyu was severely injured and sat at the side as he watched Naruto unleash the Nine-Tailed Fox.

The mission came, and the mission went. Soon after that, they were entered in the Chunin exams. In the forest of death, after Sasuke and Naruto had fought him, Riyu managed to scratch Orochimaru's right cheek before blacking out due to an enormous amount of pain.

In the preliminaries, because of strange orders from Orochimaru to kill Riyu, Kabuto stayed in and fought Riyu in the first match. Riyu didn't want to hurt Kabuto, since it was because of him that they had made it that far. However, Kabuto did want to hurt Riyu.

It was here that Riyu showed everyone that he was an elementalist. He could use a little bit of water and earth techniques before becoming a member of Team 7, but he couldn't do much. However, thanks to Kakashi and Sasuke, he had managed to learn the styles of fire and lightning.

Riyu beat Kabuto, but barely. He flooded the ground floor with a water technique, and then used a lightning attack to sent an electric current at Kabuto.

In the finals, Riyu fought Kankuro in the finals, and Shino was to fight the winner between Shikamaru and Temari's battle. Riyu won by destroying the puppet first, and then fighting him one on one. Riyu had gotten Zulku, a fellow elementalist, to train him for the finals. Riyu would always swear that Zulku was trying to kill him.

Over the next few months, things were hectic. The Third Hokage died, Shikamaru was the only one to become Chunin, and Naruto had to convince an old woman that looked young to become the Fifth Hokage. Here name was Tsunade.

After Naruto's fight with the traitor, Sasuke, and the quest to find the legendary bug, the The Bikouchuu, that could find Saksuke, Naruto was going to leave with the pervert-hermit, Jiraiya, on a three-year training mission.

He would learn to harness the powers of the Nine-Tailed fox, get strong enough to bring Sasuke back, and... do whatever else the pervert Sanin was going to teach him.

On the day Naruto was supposed to leave, he decided to take one last walk around Konoha, for old time sake.

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Not too soon into the walk, Naruto found himself standing in front of a row of shops. The shops he had sat in front of when he was three-years old. It was an old jewelery store, but it still brought back memories of how he had gotten his first friend, and the first person to see him as a human being.

He grinned to himself as he kept walking, hands in his pockets, as he rounded a corner. He still couldn't believe he was leaving for three years of non-stop training.

He was so distracted by his thoughts that he failed to notice the ivory haired kunoichi round the very same corner, except from the other side, coming his way. They slammed right into each other, causing Hinata to stumble back and onto her bottom. Noaruto, however, fell right on top of her.

Hinata blushed madly as the one she loved fell on top of her. Sweat began to appear on her face as Naruto looked down at her, making eye contact. He could feel a slight blush grace his face. The closeness of the two was too much for Hinata, but she couldn't say anything. She tried, but nothing would come out.

Naruto didn't know why his face reddened, it just happened. He quickly realized how it looked, him lying on top of her, and shot up. Sweat now began to glisten on his face as he rubbed the back o his head nervously.

" I'm so sorry Hinata. I guess I should have watched where I was going, huh?" He said appologetically.

Hinata's blush deepened as she stood up, making her face resemble a tomatoe. She wanted to say something to him before he left, but what?

Finally, she found her voice that had gone into hiding upon seeing Naruto.

" S-s-sorry, Naruto-kun." She stuttered nervously, " I-it wasn't y-your fault. I w-was looking f-f-for you a-anyway.

" What for?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.

Oh, how she loved it when he did that. It sent her heart on a roller coaster ride. She could hear her heart beating louder.

I-I heard that y-you were l-l-leaving. I wanted to s-s-say goodbye."

" Really?" He asked.

She merely nodded. Soon, she found herself in a friendly hug from the man she had loved for almost ten years. It felt good, being in Naruto's embrace, but at the same time, she wanted to get out of it before she fainted again.

N-N-N-Naruto-kun...?" She asked, cursing herself for stuttering more than she used to.

" I'm not going to see you in three years." He explained, " I'm just...making a memory." Honestly he had no idea as to why he was hugging her, but another blush came to his cheeks.

Hinata's blush deepened( If that's even possible) when he told her why he was doing this.

' He's making a memory about me?' She thought nervously.

Reluctantly pulling away, he gave her his usual foxy grin as they both stood there in silence.

Finally, Naruto broke it.

" See you later..." He paused, " Hinata-chan."

Then he ran off, down the street and turned the corner. Hinata just stood there, her hand clutching her chest.

' Hinata-chan...he called me Hinata-chan.'

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For the next half hour, Naruto couldn't get his thoughts off of Hinata. He didn't understand. Why had he hugged her? What had made him want to hug her in the first place?

"Oi, Naruto!" Riyu called from the other end of the street Naruto was walking down. " Obaa-chans' lookin' for ya'."

Naruto only glanced at his red clad friend. A memory of Riyu argueing with the Hokage about getting his headband red flashed throught his mind. Tsunade had told him tough luck. He was stuck with it until both Naruto and Riyu stopped calling her obaa-chan. So, naturally, Riyu's headband was still blue.

" Hey, Riyu." Naruto said, still lost in his thoughts.

" Is that all you have to say, 'hey Riyu'? You're leaving for three years and that's all you can say. I'm disappointed." Riyu said with a playful pout.

Naruto chuckled a bit. Riyu examined his friend a bit.

" What's wrong? Kyubi messing with you again?" He asked a little worried.

" No, it's..well..I...umm-" Was all Naruto could say. Now it was Riyu's turn to chuckle.

" Naruto, now your sounding like Hinata." Riyu didn't like using the end suffixes. He didn't see the need. The only time he used them was when he felt like it, and when talking about Jiraiya and Tsunade.

" Well, it's funny, I just talked to Hinata-chan and my stomach has felt funny ever since." Naruto explained.

Riyu was a bit shocked.

' Did he just say Hinata-chan. The dobe must be getting a clue.' Riyu thought as a grin graced his lips. He decided to play along.

" Okay, so why do you think your stomach did that?" Riyu asked, hopefully.

" I don't know. Maybe it was what I ate for dinner." Naruto guessed. He knew that wasn't it either.

Riyu's hopes for realization were dashed right there. He sighed as he decided to skip the subject and move on to why he had come to find Naruto.

" Naruto, I'll say it once more. Obaa-chan is looking for you. She sent me to come get you."

" Why?" He asked.

" Oh, she wants to say good-bye, not to become a lecher like ero-sennin, or whatever she wants to. She's the Hokage for crying out loud. She can tell you whatever she wants. Let's go."

" All right, let's go! I'll race you to the Hokage Tower." Naruto said, pumping his fist into the air.

" Your on." Riyu replied as he got into a running stance.

" Ready..." Riyu said.

" Set..." Naruto said.

"GO!" They both yelled as they dashed towards the Hokage Tower, leaving a trail of dust behind them.

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In front of the Hokage Tower, Naruto and Riyu both lay limply on the ground, panting hard.

"I...win...Riyu." Naruto said in triumph, slowly regaining his ability to breathe. He turned to see Riyu trying to sit up, but fell back onto his back.

" It was...a ...fluke." Riyu protested, propping his head up with his left arm.

Naruto just stood up like nothing had happened, already enough energy to be himself again.

" Damn it, it's not fair." Riyu joked. " You have that friggin' fox demon that gives you the advantage". His let his head drop back again.

Naruto was about to respond, but a voice cut him off.

" Naruto, how long do you intend to keep me waiting. I'm a very busy woman you know?" A young looking blonde lady asked, slightly annoyed.

Another memory ran through Naruto's mind. Riyu had heard this dumb blonde joke and was telling it to Naruto, who took no offense to it. However, one kunoichi with monster like strength was listening and took offense to it. Tsunade pummeled Riyu into the ground. That had made Naruto laugh long and hard.

" Sorry Obaa-chan. I'm here now, so what do you want?" He asked

Tsunade rolled at the nickname, but, truth be told, she was rather fond of it.

" I understand that you are embarking on a three year training mission with Jiraiya, are you not?" Tsunade asked. She knew the answer, but it was her job to ask these sorts of questions.

Naruto nodded.

" Now," She continued, " being on the same team with that lecher, I know he has done...incredibly stupid things before. Naruto, I want you to promise that, if anything life threatening happens to him, you will bring him back here immediately. Understood?"

He nodded again.

Riyu had regained enough strength to stand while he muttered something about stupid foxes. Tsunade turned her head towards Riyu.

" Riyu, I have some training for you as well."

" Me? What for?" He asked confused. He had not expected this to happen.

" You may be a strong, skilled elementalist, but there is still more for you to learn. That is why you are being trained by the villages most skilled elementalist, Yunkai Zulku. Report to him tomorrow, understand?"

Riyu groaned. Training with Zulku, the man Riyu swore was trying to kill him. This did not bode well for him. However, he nodded.

" Yes Obaa-chan."

" Oh and boys." She said as they turned around to leave, " Be a couple of dears and stop calling me that. Okay?"

" Sure thing.." Naruto said, causing relief to flow throuought her body, "..Honorable Obaa-chan." Riyu laughed.

Tsunade's relief was instantly replaced by anger as she pummeled both boys heads into the ground.

" I'm going to miss this." She said to herself as she walked back into the building to do more of her paperwork.

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It was time. Time for Naruto to make his journey, to mature, and to become stronger. Naruto stood at the outskirts of the village. Jiraiya stood alongside him, sitting atop of Gamabunta, the chief frog.

Riyu had wanted to say his final goodbyes to Naruto before he left, so Naruto waited. When Riyu's head finally came into view, Naruto's stomach churned. This was going to be the last time he would see him in three years.

Riyu stopped in front of Naruto, trying to find something to say. Finally, Riyu broke the silence.

" So, three years, ne?" He asked.

Naruto nodded.

" I was thinking." Riyu continued." When you get back, I want a sparring match. You can even use fluffy there." Riyu said, pointing at Naruto's belly.

Deep in Naruto's subconcious, he could hear Kyubi's roar. ' The whelp better watch it.' It said before it's voice died away. Naruto grinned.

" Your on!" He said.

" I can't wait." Riyu replied.

A rare event then happened. Naruto came up with an idea. He reached into his pouch and took out a kunai.

" Riyu," He began," Let's make a blood oath. Right here and now."

Riyu nodded as he took out a kunai of his own.

They both took their individual kunai's and slit open their respective palms, letting crimson blood leak out of the wound. Their hands met in a firm hand shake.

" We vow," Riyu began, " To become stronger. To have an incredible sparring match and have one of us barely win." Riyu finished, tightening his grip on Naruto's hand. Naruto repeated it and tightened his grp. Both boys grinned widely as Jiraiya approached Naruto.

" Not that this isn't interesting, but Naruto, we had better get going. Hop on Gamabunta's head and we'll be on our way." He finished jumping up onto the said frogs enormous head. He sat himself comfortably inbetween his eyes.

Riyu waved his unbloodied hand at Jiraiya. " Good-bye Ero-sennin." He yelled. Jiraiya just grunted.

" The two of you are too much alike." He muttered to himself. Riyu turned his attention back towards Naruto, who still held his hand in a firm grim.

" Good-bye Naruto." Riyu said as he took his hand away from Naruto's. Both their blood staining each of their hands. Naruto and Riyu glanced at Naruto's hand as it healed instantly. Riyu groaned outloud, muttering something else about stupid foxes. Naruto grinned.

" See-ya Riyu." Naruto said as he ascended the mighty frog. Jiraiya whispered something to Gamabunta, who responded with a nod and leapt into the air and over the Hokage monument.

Just like that, Riyu's best friend was gone.

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There you go. As I promised, a longer chapter. I hope you liked it. When I was halfway through it. I accidentally hit a button and deleted most of what I had written. It made me mad. It took me a total of three hours to type this.

I will no longer be threatening to kill small fluffy animals. I'll just have to beg for the reviews.

Please, for goodness sake, READ AND REVIEW!

Thank you and prepare for the next chapter.

Until then. Goodbye!


	4. Ch 3 Reluctant Return

(A/N) This is a chapter some of you may be shocked by, but I guarentee you that you didn't see it coming.

You know, I seem to get more reviews when I threaten an animal. I only got 3 reviews for the third chapter. What a bummer. Oh well. I'm gonna answer some reviews now because I feel like it.

**Dragon Man 180:** Thanks. Man, does this chapter have a surprise for you. Also, concerning the title, you are close. But not right.

**Light of the Demons:** Yeah, I know. I just wanted to get on with the story. Most of you know what happens in the time skip anyway. This chapter actually ( sorta) starts the story.

**T.O.B: **I know, looking back, it does go a little fast. However, some prologues are about something that happened in the past. Also, I just needed to put some things in as chapters. Also, about the last part, you catch on quick. It will be a little more complicated than you think, though.

If you give me reviews and ask me questions or something, I'll answer them from now on this fan fiction.

To my faithful reviewers, thank you. To all of you that read it and don't review, why?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Ino, Shino, Hinata, Hanabi, Kakashi, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Kabuto, Gaara, Temari... You get the idea. I do, however, own Riyu and Zulku.

Enjoy the story.

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One year. One year of peace for the Godaime Hokage. One year of not being called Obaa-chan from that annoying orange clad ninja. However, that also meant one whole year of being the Hokage, buried up to her neck in paperwork. Sometimes she wondered why in the world she had taken the job as Hokage.

In that one year, she had placed Riyu in the charge of Zulku. She had hoped that, since there could be a war at anytime, Riyu's control over the elements would improve. Zulku, at first, was against training an Uzuka. However, with proper " motivation" from the Hokage, he gave in.

She glanced down at her desk. In front of her sat Zulku's most recent report. It was from the previous week, which made her a little angry. She had asked him to report to her every few days. His latest report was late. So she re-read the report. It read:

_Honorable Hokage-sama,_

_Riyu had made excellent progress in his training. He has mastered the elements of fire, earth, wind, and water. His control over them is amazing. What took me years to learn took him only a few months. I hope to instruct him in the grass style, but he refuses to learn it. He doesn't understand the importace of it yet._

_Right now, he is mediocre in the lightning and sand elements, but I highly suspect that will soon change. He still cannot use sound attacks, though, but I do not believe that it's an element he needs to be learning. _(Note: Zulku is full of it with the sand and lightning thing)

_He still has no clue as to his necklace, nor the origin of it. To think, this kid is an Uzuka. I was wrong about him, Gadaime-sama, and you were right. He is a trustworthy boy after all._

_Until the next report, Hokage-sama._

_Yunaki Zulku, elite elemental jonin._

The boy had improved greatly. Even Hyuga Hinata had tremendously improved. She was also becoming less nervous, her self esteem had gone up and she was stuttering less. They had both gone through their own respective training throughout the year that Naruto had been gone.

Riyu would drive himself to exhaustion, and when Zulku would try and call it a day, he would stand back up and practice some more, refusing to let a little pain and fatigue get in his way. That was what had won Zulku over, Riyu's persistence.

Hinata, on the other hand, would train so much and so hard that she had almost died on several occasions. At one time, about four months ago, she had passed out from exhaustion and was out an entire month.

However, it was not the same without the loud mouthed brat running around. Only Riyu, now, would call her Obaa-chan, and they rarely spoke anymore. Sometimes, Tsunade would swear that she was hearing Naruto's big mouth over the construction that was taking place on the Hokage Monument.

'At least it's almost done.' She thought, 'Naruto will freak when he sees that their adding my face to the-.' She was cut off by a loud rumble, quickly followed by the shattering of glass, and quick footsteps.

"Obaa-chan! Oba-chan! Where are you!" Came a pleading voice.

"Naruto?" She thought out loud, walking out of her office and running down the staircase. "The only reason I gave Naruto to return early was if..." She froze in realization. "OH NO!"

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Naruto sat in the east wing of the hospital's waiting room, his head held low and a frown covering his face. The normal hyperactive, orange clad ninja was now silent. He was just sitting, staring down at the floor.

After what seemed like an eternity, Tsunade slowly emerged from the emergency room, crimson blood staining her white gloves and her white sleeves. She glanced over at Naruto and lowered her eyes. She knew Naruto was fearing the worst at that moment. She needed a way to appropriately tell him what had happened.

She looked Naruto over once more. He hadn't really changed that much. Naruto still wore his orange jacket and pants, but the patches of blue that had been on his shoulders were now replaced by patches of black. He, also, was not the midget she knew a year ago. He was taller.

'He's grown by at least five inches to a foot. Now he's as tall as Riyu.' She thought as she silently made her way over to Naruto. Once she made it to Naruto's side, she placed a hand on his shoulder and cleared her throat.

"Naruto." She began. She waited for him to look up at her. When he did look up at her with his hurt eyes, she continued talking. "His injuries were pretty severe. He had cuts all up and down his body, his legs were broken in three places each. He was also bleeding internally, with a good number of blood vessels popped."

She saw Naruto's terror, his fear, and his dashed hope. He probably thought his sensei was dead right now.

"However, we expect that he'll make a full recovery. It's a good thing you got him here when you did. It took hours, but he'll live. I am curious, though, as to what happened to his...umm, you know what." She said, expecting to cheer him up a little. It didn't. He didn't even hint a grin of relief.

He weakly nodded. He knew perfectly well what she was talking about.

"Naruto." She continued."I want you to tell me the whole story, right here and now."

Naruto gulped and gave off a flustered look before he spoke.

"The _whole_ thing?" He asked.

She nodded in a " hurry up" way.

"Well, it went like this..."

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Naruto lay on the three-story roof of the inn he and the Ero-sennin were staying at. His eyes slowly scanned the night's sky. He liked the night sky, it reminded him of his home and how he missed it.

He liked nights with thousands of stars in the sky. It gave him peace at times like this.

He had managed to master the one-handed Rasengan the other month, and now he was learning how to summon the high leveled frogs. That is, whenever Jiraiya would teach him. He would just disappear sometimes to do some of his "research" for a while.

However, right now, Naruto was enjoying his night off. Right now, he didn't care. He could forget about Orochimaru, about Sasuke, about Kyubi, and about all the hateful villagers back home.

It was peaceful. So peaceful, he didn't think that anything could ruin the peace.

"Naruto!" Came the voice of his sensei.

His peace and quiet was shattered instantly. With a sigh and a small curse, Naruto sat himself up to yell down at his sensei.

He stopped when he saw three women, all wearing matching white kimonos and white fans that were gently swaying across their faces, lovingly clutching Jiraiya's arm. Each one looked extremely delicate, like they could break in half with even the slightest amount of pressure. Naruto silently scowled at Jiraiya.

"Naruto, you are not to come back to the room for at least two hours. Am I understood?"

"Crystal." He responded with an uncaring tone. This wasn't the first time Jiraiya had done this. Every time he would try this, he would end up with a black eye or something.

He watched them walk away to the inn before lying back onto the roof.

Naruto's thoughts then drifted back to Hinata as he slowly felt his body drifting to sleep.

'I like her eyes.' He thought as he succumb to sleep.'

"AHHHHHH!"

Naruto's head shot up, looking around in every direction. He knew that voice. It was Ero-sennin!

Without thinking, Naruto leapt off the three story building and onto a man with enough body fat that rivaled Choji.

Jumping off of him, he started to sprint, running towards the inn.

'What has he done this time.' He thought nervously as he rushed into the inn. He quickly made his way up the stairs. Finding the door to be locked, He dropped back and kicked the door opened violently.

His jaw dropped when he saw Jiraiya lying on the floor, covered in his own blood. One of the white women hovered over him, blue chakra flowing from his fingertips and into Jiraiya's open wounds. At first, it seemed as if she was trying to heal him, but his screams of pain and the blood leaking from his wounds led Naruto to believe otherwise.

Instantly, he drew out two of his kunai knives.

"Get the hell off of him." He ordered as he charged the woman hovering over Jiraiya. However, her body gave no signs of fear as the thirteen year old kid ran at her.

Naruto threw both of his kunai at the single woman. She dodged them quite easily.

Her right arm sharply struck Naruto through the chest. Naruto gasped in pain as her arm protruded through his back. She smirked.

"This is the apprentice that sanin was going on about? How pathetic." She said in triumph.

Now it was Naruto that smirked.

"Not really." Naruto said as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Her eyes widened in shock. 'He-he used a kage bunshin to rush in. He planned this from the start!'

"AHH!"

She turned to see both of her companions on the floor, unconscious, under two different Narutos.

"This is way too easy!" The Naruto on her left said in triumph.

"I know." Said the other."How did Ero-sennin lose to these losers? It's hard to believe." He said mockingly as he disappeared in a puff of smoke. The real Naruto's hand started to glow.

She recognized the attack immediately, but it was too late. The kid had already propped his arm back, and yelled "Rasengan:" as he thrust his arm out before him, piercing her right shoulder. She slammed into the wall, sending cracks all over the wall.

She reached over to her shoulder and felt something cold and wet. Blood! It was her blood, spewing down her right shoulder like a hose. She clutched it in pain, but only managed to increase the pain. She slumped to the floor, collapsing from the pain.

Naruto crouched down and firmly grabbed her collar and roughly brought her up, making eye contact with each other.

"This was too well planned for you three to act by yourselves. Whe the hell sent you?" Naruto spat, anger and fear present in his voice.

'Smart kid.' She thought as Naruto tightened his grip on her kimono."Orders.. are...orders." She said weakly as the blood flowed down her arm.

Naruto's eyes widened. The last time he had heard that was during the Chunin Exam preliminaries. When Kabuto and Riyu had had their fight, and Riyu had questioned him as to why Kabuto was actually _trying_ to kill him. Kabuto had chuckled to himself as he responded, "Orders are orders."

Naruto then threw the woman to the side, knocking her unconscious as she hit the table. He looked Jiraiya over once more, and made up his mind as to what he was going to do as he picked up Jiraiya's limp body. Jumping out the window with Jiraiya on his shoulder, he quickly set him down and sped through some hand signs. _Boar, dog , rooster, monkey, sheep._ He threw his right hand down onto the ground.

"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!"

Not too long after, The chief of the frogs, Gamabunta, appeared. Summoning this great frog was not easy for Naruto, it drained almost all of his chakra, but it was the fastest of the frogs, and time was of the essence.

Gamabunta first looked around and took in the fresh air. Then his eyes ventured towards Naruto and Jiraiya. He gasped violently.

"What the hell happened to Jiraiya?" Gamabunta asked in rage.

"He was attacked by sexy women." Naruto said as he loaded Jiraiya onto the head of Gamabunta. "We need you to take us back to Konoha as fast as you can."

"Of course. Are you ready yet?" Gamabunta asked as Naruto sat himself down next to Jiraiya. Naruto nodded. "Okay then, hang on tight."

Gamabunta leapt swiftly into the air as he disappeared from the small village.

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"...And that's how we got here." Naruto said as he finished the story.

"This is very interesting." The Hokage said, fear and wonder in her voice. "I do believe that Orochimaru sent those women to take advantage of Jiraiya's...er, weakness, in order to make it easier to get you."

"Maybe," Naruto began. "But what am I gonna do now? I can't exactly go off and train on my own."

"The answer is simple baka." She said. Man, it felt good to be able to call him that again. "You stay in the village until Jiraiya feels well enough to take you off and train you again."

"How long do you think Ero-sennin will be here?" He asked earnestly as he stood up. He was now looking down on Tsunade, which shocked her a bit.

"I wish I could answer you, Naruto. I really do. However, his wounds are very severe. He could be here a long time. Don't expect to be leaving for at least a few months." She answered, sighing. She wished Jiraiya could heal as soon as possible, but it was lonely without Naruto coming around and calling her Obaa-chan.

'Now how am I going to fulfill my promise to Sakura-chan?' He thought to himself.

She saw Naruto's eyes drop again. This time in disappointment. She knew he wanted to get stronger. That's why he had left in the first place. Now he was torn between wishing his sensei was alright, and only wanting him alright to train him some more.

"Naruto, I think you should go and see your friends. I know that Riyu is about to finish his training for the day. Why don't you head over to training field 6? He should be there." She stated, trying to cheer him up.

Naruto's face instantly lit up, his usual foxy grin plastered on his face. However, neither of them knew if the grin was forced or not.

"That sounds great Obaa-chan! See you later!" He yelled as he turned around and bound out of the hospital.

Tsunade smiled to herself as he exited the hospital.

'Welcome home kid. Welcome home.'

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"One more time, Riyu, and your done for the day." Zulku ordered a heavily panting Riyu, sweat glistening on his face. He was lying on the ground, close to his breaking point.

Riyu groaned loudly.

"But Zulku-sensei, the Sentou no kaji(1) takes an incredible amount of chakra. I've already used most of it anyway." Riyu complained as he sat himself up.

"How does it take up a lot of chakra?" Zulku asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He his hitae-ate backwards across his forehead, with a blue jonin vest and black pants. He had two different scars running across his face. One was a burn mark, plastered on his left cheek. The other was on his right eye, after being slashed at by a kunai.

"Well, for starters, just using the fire style alone takes a massive amount of chakra." Riyu began, swinging his arms out for emphasis. "And keeping the element around your hand, without touching it, for a great amount of time means that I must keep a continuous output of chakra. Doing it for so long could kill me!"

Zulku smiled at his pupil. He walked over to where Riyu sat and rubbed his head playfully.

"Very astute, Riyu. Since you showed common sense, you passed my little quiz. Your training is done for the rest of the day. I'll leave you to your business." Zulku finished, chuckling to himself as he walked out of the training field.

Riyu, however, remained where he sat, a scowl on his face. He groaned at the way his sensei enjoyed tormenting him. He would do this a lot, and the only way to get him to stop was to see through his deception. Riyu sighed to himself.

"That baka's trying to kill me." Riyu thought out loud, a bit of humor present in his voice. They had grown on each other four months into his training. Riyu decided to take this moment and rest. He closed his eyes and leaned back onto the grass.

"So, laying down on the job, eh Riyu?" Came a voice from over Riyu's head. Something clicked in Riyu's head.

'Wait a minute. I know that voice.' He thought as he opened his left eye to see the familiar face of his best friend. Naruto was standing over him, arms across his chest, grinning down at Riyu.

"Naruto? Is that really you?" Riyu asked, sitting up.

"The one and only!" Naruto said, practically yelling, in Riyu's ear.

'Yep, that's Naruto.' Riyu thought as he cleaned out his right ear. Curiosity soon came over Riyu.

"Wait a minute. You left on a three year training mission last year. What are you doing here so early. You still have two years left." Riyu said, emphasizing the number two by holding up two fingers.

'Here I go again.' Naruto thought. "Well, it started when Jiraiya and I stopped in this random village to relax, and..."

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"Hey, Hinata!" Kiba yelled to the lavender eyed girl as she stopped practicing her jyuuken style attacks on a wooden dummy. She looked over at her dog-like teammate and waved nervously.

Her hair had grown fairly long, touching her shoulder blade. Since Naruto's absence, she had been training nonstop every day. She had started to become more self confident and strong.

Shino, her other teammate, followed behind Kiba. His face was as unemotional as ever.

"Be quiet Kiba." Shino scolded his teammate. "Or else Hinata-chan will go deaf before you can tell her the news.

"Umm... what news?" She asked curiously.

"Well," Kiba began. "Shino and I just saw Naruto running over to the training field 6. We thought you would like to know he's back." Kiba put on his best forced grin for Hinata.

He knew of her feelings for the obnoxious blonde, but he couldn't help but fall for her. Ever since Naruto had left, Kiba had started feeling things for Hinata that he had never felt before. Of course, he would never tell her that. He didn't want to ruin their friendship.

"Y-y-you m-mean that N-Naruto-kun's b-back?" She said, her old stuttering habit coming back.

Kiba and Shino's eyes widened. Hinata hadn't stuttered in months. Was it just because Naruto was back?

"Yep." Kiba said. "And that means-"

Before Kiba could get in another word, Hinata had sprinted off, going to find Naruto.

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Naruto had finished telling the story to Riyu, who was in a ball on the ground laughing. He had been laughing for the past five minutes. Naruto didn't see the humor in it, but Riyu had. Riyu tried to find the humor in most things.

"You mean..haha..that they...haha...cut it off?" He asked in between laughs. Naruto had to admit, the way it sounded, it was pretty funny. He allowed himself to chuckle a bit before getting serious again. Riyu sat up again, trying to stop laughing.

Naruto nodded in answer to Riyu's question.

"So? How long are ya' back?" He asked as he stopped laughing. He thought that his laugh was starting to bug Naruto.

Naruto shrugged. "I dunno. Obaa-chan said as long as it takes for him to heal."

Riyu tried to stand up, but gravity thwarted his attempt as he landed back down on the ground with a thump. With a swear word Nartuto couldn't make out, Riyu pushed himself up once more. This time with success. His necklace was giving off a green glowing color, but neither Naruto nor Riyu noticed it.

"All right! To celebrate your return, we're going out for ramen. Ichiraku and Amaye will want to see their favorite customer again." Riyu said grinning.

"YEAH!" Naruto cheered, pumping his fist into the air.

"We'll have an all you can eat buffet." Riyu suggested.

"YEAH!" Naruto yelled again.

"And your buying." Riyu said.

"YEA-wait. What?" Naruto asked, knowing he had been tricked into paying for the ramen.

"Too late. You already agreed, your paying." Riyu said in victory.

Now it was Naruto's turn to scowl and say a choice swear word. Naruto shrugged it off, and pumped his fist into the air once more.

"All right! Let's g-" He was cut off by a small voice.

"N-N-N-Naruto-kun..." Came the voice, followed by a loud thump.

Naruto and Riyu exchanged puzzled looks as they approached the direction the voice had come from. They both rounded the corner, exiting the training field and coming up on the sidewalk. They looked to their right, but nothing was there. Then they looked over to the left. Hinata lay on the sidewalk, unconscious. Naruto approached her limp body and pushed gently on her shoulder. He looked over at Riyu.

"What happened to Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked worriedly.

Riyu shrugged as he mentally grinned.

_'Just like old times_.'

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(A/N) There you go, another chapter of Fusion. I bet I surprised most of you, huh. Oh, and that whole thing about Riyu's necklace plays a major part in this story and in the third one. This chapter took me a while, but not as long as the other.

**(1) Sentou no kaji**: looking it up in a japanese dictionary, I believe it means fire punch.

Were any of you expecting what happened to Jiraiya. Think about it, it's the ultimate punishment for a pervert.

It's day 1 of my two week break. I'm so happy. No school!

Hey, if anyone finds a Naruto story about Sasuke and Sakura getting married, and Naruto is in jail, please let me know.

I know that some of you are confused about all the time skips, but don't worry. Only one more time skip and then the honest to God story starts. It's gonna be good, I promise. I swear on the latest volume of Naruto manga that it will get better.

It's weird. Over 1000 people have looked at my story, but I only have 14 reviews. I must say, I'm a little disappointed. I got more reviews when I threatened something.

So, how about this:

Read and review, or else I'll send Naruto quail hunting with Dick Cheney.

Be prepared for the next chapter of Fusion titled:

Ch.4: Journey To The Center of Konoha

Until then, have a good day!


	5. Ch 4 Journey to the Center of Konoha

(A/N) Yo, it's me again. I feel great. I got alot of reviews. Naruto now has no worries about being forced to go hunting with the vice-president. Thanks to your reviews, I feel newly motivated. This chapter may be a little shorter than the last two ( I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote it) But I hope you enjoy it anyway.

But it's weird. The day I update, I get reviews. I'll let it sit a day until the next update, and I get zilch. This is weird. My most recent review was at midnight the day I updated. Bummer.

I seem to be doing better than I thought. I have 21 reviews, and only 1 bad. He didn't say he hated the story, he said he hated Riyu. That hurt me a little, then I saw all the other reviews.

Listen to this:

I threaten a kitten, I get 5 reviews. I threaten a puppy I get 5 reivews. I threaten nothing, I get 4 reviews. I threaten Naruto, I get 7 reviews. Hmmm. This is a handy piece of information.

I knew I would draw some of you in with the whole necklace thing. Did you wonder why I always mentioned the necklace. Also, all you are going crazy about the title. I love it when I make people go crazy.

Please don't bite my head off about the length of this chapter. When I wrote it on paper, I think I was tired or something. I rewrote it a little, so it's longer, but I don't know how long.

Disclaimer: No chance of me ever owning Naruto(sniff) On the bright side, I do own Riyu and Zulku.

**Riyu:** I'm so screwed.

...On with the story.

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Ch.4 Journey To The Center of Konoha

"Is Ero-sennin all right?" Naruto asked on his daily trip to the Hokage's office. Said Hokage rolled her eyes yet again. Naruto was starting to massively get on her nerves.

She sighed as she signed another sheet of paper. She had lost count on the number she had signed that morning. Naruto was standing in front of her desk, eyes pleading for a yes answer. She sighed again as she stood up and approached Naruto. She placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto, you have been asking me this question for a little over a year now." She said. "The answer has never changed, nor has it changed today. His internal organs were greatly damaged. I fear he won't get better for a while."

Naruto sighed. Why did he always ask this question every mornng? The 14-year old genin sighed as he nodded. He just couldn't believe that his Ero-sensei was still in the hospital.

Tsunade saw his look and decided to change the subject away from Jiraiya. He had started to talk again, but only a few words. He was a little more damaged than from when he first came. When he got the skills back to move his right arm, Shizune was on his right side, checking his medical charts. Jiraiya's hand moved from his bed and to her bottom and squeezed it flirtingly. She immediately pounded him, cast and all, onto the floor.

"Naruto, as you know, the Chunin Exams are starting in a few months. I highly suggest that you and your team participate." She told Naruto. He nodded again. None of the new rookie 9( Originally the rookie 10 with Sasuke) had become Chunin, except for Shikamaru. They were all planning on taking the exam together."You have the skills to be a chunin, and I think that even your teammates are ready."

Naruto's face brightened up a bit. He figured the Chunin Exams would be a good practice. It would also be a good chance to show everyone his new skills he had gathered his year away.

Naruto quickly realized something as he glanced up at a clock, it was 7:52. He went pale, he was supposed to meet his team thirty minutes ago. They had a mission that their sensei had promised would be fun and exciting. He looked back at the Godaime, and waved goodbye to her.

"See ya, Obaa-chan! I've got a really cool mission today!" He said, running out of her office and down a flight of stairs.

"I know that you baka!" She yelled after him. "I'm the one that gave you the mission in the first place." She paused. "And stop calling me that you little twerp."

She stopped yelling after the loud blonde and walked back over to her desk. She took her seat and glanced down at the paper.

'Hmmm, an obortion request, eh?' She thought. ' If I'm stuck listening to the annoying voice of a baka, then so are you.' She finished as she signed no on the request.

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Naruto quickly made his way out of the Hokage's tower and into a busy road. Seeing as how the sidewalks were extremely crowded, he leapt up onto the buildings. He jumped from rooftop to rooftop, trying to make it to the bridge that they were supposed to meet at before Sakura would get angry. The last time he was late she had attempted to drown him. It was with the assistance from Riyu that he survived.

About five minutes later, he leapt off a bakery roof and landed next to park. He quickly dashed inside, praying that Sakura wouldn't kill him. He ran as fast as he could until he saw it. The bridge was quite old, but Naruto didn't know how old and he didn't really care. It had red rails and the bottom was just a brown. Riyu would always point at the rails and say. "See! I told ya'! Red is way better than orange!"

On that bridge stood two figures. Naruto made them out as his teammates, Sakura and Riyu. RIyu and Sakura both wore their normal clothes, but something was different today. He say Sakura and Riyu both standing over a sheet of paper, pointing at it and talking.

Naruto stopped running and decided to catch his breath and walk. His curiosity was really sparked when Sakura handed Riyu a few coins.

"Hey guys! What are you doing?" Naruto yelled at his teammates as he stepped onto the bridge. Riyu paled as he took the sheet of paper and the coins and threw them into his backpack, smiling nervously. Despite the smile, Naruto was suspicious.

"What do you mean? We're not doing anything." Riyu said, waving his hands out in front of his body in emphasis. Sakura nervously nodded in agreement.

"Then what's with that piece of paper?" He asked as he glanced at Riyu's blue backpack. Riyu nervously glanced to his right at Sakura, who met his eyes with worry, and then back at Naruto.

"Uhh...you see...it's ..um..Sakura!" He glanced back over at Sakura. "Why don't you tell him what the piece of paper is all about?" He said grinning.

"WHAT?" She yelled.

"Well...you are the one he listens to." Riyu said in slight fear. He knew that Sakura would kill him before this was over, but it was a way to get off the topic of the bet.

Sakura, however, knew nothing of Riyu's plan to get Naruto off the subject. She was completely offended that Riyu was trying to psh the lie about the bet that _he_ had started onto her. She swore her revenge on him.

'That's not fair, Riyu!" She protested, "He's your best friend. You should tell him!"

Naruto sweatdropped in anime style before sighing to himself. He hated it when this happened. Whenever Riyu and Sakura would get into an arguement, it would take hours for them to stop.

"You used to be mean to him!" Riyu argued, "So it's your duty to tell him." Riyu aimed to win with a few correctly placed words.

"That's not fair! I'm nice to him now!" Sakura yelled again.

The arguement had succeeded in making Naruto forget about the paper, but it had also succeeded in making his companions forget about it too.

Riyu shrugged at Sakura's response.

"So?"

"What do you mean so?" She asked in rage. 'CHA! I'M GONNA KILL HIM! Inner Sakura boomed in her head.

Riyu grinned. "Simply that."

"Riyu..." She said as she took a menacing step towards Riyu. Riyu, in turn, took a step backwards in fear. "I'm gonna-"

"Yo." Came a voice from behind them.

Sakura was cut off by her tardy sensei, Hatake Kakashi. Riyu was mentally celebrating the fact that Sakura was not able to completely destroy him.

"You're late!" Naruto yelled, pointing at Kakashi.

"I'm sorry, but a black cat crossed my path this morning and I-" He began.

"YOU ALREADY USED THAT ONE!" All three genin yelled, pointing at their lazy sensei.

Kakashi grinned behind his mask.

"Really?" He asked.

"YES!" They yelled again.

"Well, classics never die." He stated boredly.

The three genin of team Kakashi fell to the ground in anime style, but recovered quickly. Naruto was the first one to recover.

"You missed it, sensei." Naruto began, pointing at his teammates. "Sakura was about to kill Riyu."

"Really?" Kakashi asked, slightly interested, "What about?"

"I don't know. I think it had something to do with a sheet of paper." Naruto answered, failing to notice Sakura and Riyu pale a bit. Kakashi chuckled.

"Anyway, today, we have a C-ranked mission." He said as he looked his pupils over.

"Really?" Naruto asked earnestly. Kakashi nodded. "Sweet. It's not a D-ranked. It's a C-ranked. Wahoo." Naruto and Riyu were rejoicing the fact that they were getting a C-ranked. Sakura, however, wore a face of worry.

"Kakashi-sensei, what kind of mission is it?" Sakura asked worridly, remembering their first C-ranked mission. Naruto and Riyu paused in order to hear what their sensei had to say.

"It's an investigation mission." He said.

"What?" Naruto asked, annoyed.

"An investigation. There was a mine shaft that was abandoned some twenty years ago. Upon further research further down into the shaft, a temple was found that leads to a temple that was believed to had been destroyed over 100 years ago. We're assigned to investigate and report our findings to the Godaime."

"Soo, why is it C-ranked again?" Riyu asked.

"Because," Kakashi answered, "The temple may be riged with traps and genjutsus. It's C-ranked just to be safe."

Naruto pumped his fist into the air.

"All right, now we're talkin'.Let's go!"

"Fine, let's go." Kakashi said behind his mask, "But, since it's only about five minutes from this bridge, we're going to walk to conserve our energy and chakra." He finished, walking away.

The three genin looked at each other and shrugged.

"Fine." Naruto grumbled as he followed along behind his sensei. Soon, they were walking in a straight line. The line went Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and the Riyu.

A little ways into the walk, Kakashi pulled back from the line and walked next to Riyu. Riyu held a puzzled look as he glanced over at his sensei curiously. Kakashi glanced up at Naruto, who had already folded his hands behind his head, and then looked back at Riyu. Kakashi took out a few coins from his pocket and offered them to Riyu.

"Put me down for next month." He said as Riyu nodded and took the coins from Kakashi's hand and put them in a big pouch.

"Sure." Riyu said as he took out his paper and wrote down the name Kakashi, and wrote out June 15. Riyu folded up the paper and put it back into his backpack. Kakashi then walked back up to the front of the line, and walked along silently.

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The mine shaft was not nearly as big as Naruto thought it would be. It was just a long, straight tunnel. Well, as far as he could see. Looking into the tunnel, he could only see about 20 feet in front of his face. The only light in the tunnel was coming from the dim flashlight Kakashi was holding.

They had been walking through the tunnel for almost five minutes, and Naruto and Riyu were already starting to go insane. Naruto glanced back over his shoulder, in order to see if there were any signs of daylight. There was no daylight, just a black emptiness.

Suddenly, without warning, the flashlight died. Kakashi looked down at the flashlight and shook it a few times before throwing it to the ground. He tried to see if he could see his students, but all he could see was darkness. Suddenly, an idea struck him.

"Riyu, could you light a torch?" He asked. He heard Riyu crouch down and pick something off of the ground. Riyu mumbled the name of the jutsu, and fire engulfed the tip of a thick stick. It gave them more light than the flashlight, but it was more dangerous. Riyu's control over fire was not perfect, so there was always the threat of being burned badley at any second.

Naruto couldn't take the silence anymore. He didn't know how everyone else was being quiet. Hell, how did Riyu manage to be quiet. He had the same problem with quiet, but Naruto had it much worse. He was sure that he was going to die of boredome. He decided to say something, so he opened his mouth to speak. As he opened it up, a firm hand grip belonging to Kakashi clamped his mouth shut.

"Don't say anything, Naruto." Kakashi whispered, "You'll wake up the bats, or whatever other creatures that live in here. We'll be there soon, I promise." He finished, releasing his grip on Naruto's mouth.

Naruto had no choice but to give in to Kakashi. So, he stuck his hands into his hands into his pockets.

'B-bats?' She thought nervously as she reluctantly glanced up at the ceiling of the cavern. Her eyes widened in horror.

There were bats everwhere. Hundreds of bats littered the ceiling, all sleeping. She felt her legs beginning to buckle as she quickly brought her head down and stared straight. She decided not to look up again until they were at the temple.

'I guess I'm just physically stronger, but not mentally.' She thought. She cursed herself for still being such a fragile little girl who couldn't do anything to help herself.

Riyu, on the other hand, had no problem with the bats nor the quiet. As long as the bats didn't bother him, he was content. The quiet was good for him, it gave him time to ponder the incredible temple that they were going to. Also, being Naruto's friend, he rarely got the peace and quiet he wanted and needed.

Finally, after much walking, they reached the end of the shaft. However, the only thing that they found was a blank stone wall. Naruto was pissed.

"What the hell?" Naruto exclaimed, now not caring if the bats would wake up or not. "How are we supposed to get to the temple now.?"

Kakashi sighed. "We use force, my intelligence challenged one."

Naruto ignored the sarcasm as he spoke.

"Great! I'll just use the rasengan, and we'll be through in no time!" Naruto said, pushing his arm forward.

"No you will not, Naruto." Kakashi scolded, pulling back Naruto's arm. "A rasengan will, undoubtably, bring the whole place down. Riyu's one reason our team was selected for this mission. Riyu, would you please use the earth style to take the wall down?" Kakashi asked Riyu, who nodded enthustiastically.

"Finally!" Riyu exclaimed as he approached the wall, "I've been wanting to try this out forever."

"Go ahead." Kakashi said, nodding his head in approval.

Riyu approached the rock wall, overjoyed that he was getting to do such a cool techinque. He had just recently learned it, and was anxious to use it. He quickly sped through the necessary hand signs before he slammed his hands down onto the wall.

"ROCK DECONSTRUCTIO NO JUTSU!" He yelled as his palms slammed into the wall.

He took a step back and examined the wall. Suddenly, apparently seeing something, he walked over to the lower left side of the wall and began tapping it.

"I don't get it. It didn't work?" Sakura asked to no one in particular. She had heard his elemental skills were good, but now she was beginning to doubt them. Naruto just chuckled. He remembered Riyu pulling a prank using a jutsu like this, but not this one in particular.

"Be patient Sakura." Kakashi instructed Sakura, "Riyu's not done."

"Huh?" She asked, confused.

"Just watch." He finished, pointing over at Riyu, who had stopped tapping tapping the wall and was now just standing there, looking it over. Riyu reached over to the wall and tapped it once before turning back to the group, a grin plastered on his face.

"What the-?" Naruto began, but silenced himself when he saw what happened. The wall crmbled into thousands of pieces, leaving nothing but a big gaping wall in front of the group.

"Very good, Riyu." Kakashi began. " Now let's go."

"Right." All three genin said.

"Oh, and Riyu."

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei?" Said ninja asked.

"The torch is out." He said, pointing to his other hand that held the unlit wood.

Riyu sighed and groaned as he walked forward to relight the torch using a fire jutsu. He heard Sakura and Naruto gasp from behind him. He quickly turned around to see what had taken their breaths away.

"What it-whoah. That thing is friggin big." Riyu stated, his jaw slightly dropped. Naruto and Sakura nodded in agreement. Kakashi remained unmoved as they stared at the temple.

It was a large temple, it reached up extremely high. Kakashi guessed around 1000 feet high. The temple ran left and right , only the middle of the temple stood up high. It seemed like a tower, but they shrugged it off. The temple walls were long and thick. They ran very far down the sides. They seemed to be two stories. The size of the temple definitely made the four shinobi feel small. The temple looked like a very wide sideways I, with a tower sticking up the middle.

"Wh-what is this place?" Naruto asked in awe.

"This, Naruto," Kakashi said, pointing over at the enormous tower, "Is the legendary Temple of Lost Souls."

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Hope ya'll liked it. Took me a while to write. This whole Temple of Lost Souls thing is important, so just enjoy it. There is a surprise twist in the next chapter.

Also, I'm sorry about how I described the tower. I'm not the best at describing it. I'm more of a visionary. I did the best I could. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.

Now, I will answer some reviews, like I promised.

**almostinsane:** Thank you very much. God bless you, too.

**Dragon Man 180:** Don't worry, Just because he has no more motivation doesn't mean that he'll necessarily stop writing. Don't worry, she will. I promise that I will make up for the fluff in a later chapter.

**Light of the Demons:** Just some motivation for them to destroy Orochimaru. Yeah, poor Naruto.

**T.O.B:** Well, yeah. That's because the whole fusing thing is a little more complicated than you think. No, the necklace doesn't fuse them, it does do something cool though.

**Lyra the Sorceress of Scholars:** I wrote it, so read it. Thanks for the review.

**badlevel50percent:** Wow, talk about inspiration.

**Spartan 117:** May the peace be with you my new reviewer.

There you go, I answered the reviews I got.

I need to know something. Why do the cloud ninja hate the Hyuga. I need to know. The reason is that it plays a part in the story, but I can't remember why they hate them. Please tell me in you reviews.

Read and review with your answer, or I'll send Naruto over to Neverland Ranch.


	6. Ch 5 The Temple of Lost Souls

Hey, I don't see why most of you decided to bite my head off about the whole Neverland Ranch thing. It was only a threat. He does not have to go to Neverland Ranch because of your reviews.

Anyway, I deserved you biting my head off just a little, but it was just an experiment. I wanted to see how many revies I could get. My experiment is complete, and I will not be threatening Naruto like that again.

**Riyu:** Finaly! What are you going to be threatening now.

**Riyuto-san:** You.

**Riyu:** What! Why!

**Riyuto-san:** It's because you won't stop complaining about the fact that you belong to me. Plus, I feel like it. Maybe if you do the disclaimer for me, I'll reconsider.

**Riyu:** Fine. Riyuto-san does not own Naruto, but he does own Zulku and me. There, you happy.

**Riyuto-san:** Yes, now, on with the story.

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**Chapter 5. The Temple of Lost Souls**

It wasn't the temple itself that had overwhelmed the four members of Team 7, it was the ominous presence that could be felt everywhere. There were massive chakra spikes emmiting from and surrounding the stoned temple. The massive chakra spikes would spring up out of nowhere before disappearing altogether. On the temple, the central tower that rose higher than the other sides of the tower was where most of the more powerful chakra spikes were occuring. Naruto's eyes were glued to the temple. Neither Naruto nor his teammates could pull their eyes off of it.

"So, why is this place called the Temple of Lost Souls anyway?" He asked, unable to tear his eyes off of the enormous underground building that sat before him.

"It's only a legend in Konoha. It was said that when someone with evil in their hearts or had done something evil, their soul would come to this temple. Until recently, it was thought to have been destroyed, or never existed." Kakashi said, also not having the ability to tear his eyes off of the temple.

Kakashi's eyes ventured towards the massive tower on top of the temple. It looked different from the temple itself. The temple, from end to end, appeared to be nothing more than old stone. On the other hand, the tower was well rounded and seemed to be fairly new. The stones bore no cracks, but it still seemed old, in some ways. When his eyes ventured to from the top of the tower to the roof of the cavern, his visible eye widened a bit in realization.

He pointed up at the ceiling. "Do you see that ceiling?"

The three genin followed his finger and looked up at the ceiling he was pointing to.

"So what? No disrespect intended, sensei, but it only appears to be a ceiling. Isn't it?" Sakura asked, confused as to why the ceiling was so important. To her, it was just an ordinary ceiling, complete with rock slabs dropping down from it, and never actully falling from it. She saw cracks that ran from the ceiling in every direction. Iit looked as if it could collapse at any moment.

Kakashi shook his head as he lowered his hand.

"Then what is it?" Riyu asked. He, too, thought it as nothing more than a boring ceiling.

"I'll tell you what it is." He started. "That ceiling is, basically, the ground that you walk on every day of your life. That is the village, Konohagakure. Apparently, we spiraled down without realizing it." Kakashi finished in a casual tone.

"No way!" Naruto yelled in surprise.

"Way." Kakashi answered.

"Wait. Hold up a minute." Sakura ordered, a confused look spread across her face, "If that is the village, then how come it hasn't fallen down into here yet?"

Kakashi shrugged. "It's probably because that this temple is so far down. I highly doubt that the village would succumb to this place."

Sakura couldn't help but marvel at the mere sight of the enormous temple. The huge walls, the emerald glass windows on the temple, the elogant tower that rose up to the ceiling, and the pathway that led to the entrance of the temple. The pathway had sculptures of foxes, frogs, snakes, eagles, hawks, dogs, and a few other animals that she couldn't identify.

She couldn;t help but marvel at it's size, shape, and its...

"Hey, Sakura! Are you coming or what?" Naruto's voice came, arousing Sakura from her thoughts. She glanced over at the entrance and found that Naruto, Riyu, and Kakashi were waiting for her at some massive doors Sakura assumed was the entrance.

She quickly sprinted over to her companions, who were getting eager to get in, and aggrivated for her taking so long to get there. After jumping over some old stones, she made it to the doors. She stood in front of the doors, and immediately looked them over. She didn't know what it was about this place, but it captured her thoughts and held them hostage from her. The doors were massive, three times as big as her house. The knockers were built in statues of frogs. One was red, and the other one was green. She continued to gaze upon the doors until she heard an annoying voice. And it wasn't Naruto's.

"Do you think Sakura's jealous of it's beauty?" She heard Riyu whisper to Naruto. Naruto tried his hardest not to laugh, but small chuckles still escaped. Sakura grew angry very quickly. She turned around and pummeled his head into the ground.

"What was the question again?" She asked in a 'answer me wrong and I'll kill you' way. After Riyu got out of the crater Sakura had forced him into, he looked into her eyes and saw the ferocity in them. He started to pale.

"Nothing, Sakura. Nothing at all." He answered nervously, waving his hands in front of his face and shaking his head side to side.

"All right you two." Kakashi said, slightly amused. "I'm going to stop this before Sakura kills you, Riyu. Since there appears to be two different directions in the temple, we are going to split up. Since I can't trust Sakura and Riyu to stay together and both of them come out alive, I'm taking Sakura with me. Naruto and Riyu, you two will go right. Sakura and I will go left. Is that understood?"

All three genin nodded in agreement.

'They do that alot.' Kakashi observed. Shrugging off that thought, he turned towards the ominous doors. He brought his right hand up to his chin as if to ponder.

"All right team. I'm going to need your help openning this door. I suspect that it will be extremely heavy." Kakashi said as he took a pushing position on the door.

"Oh, come on Kakashi-sensei. How heavy can a dumb door be?" Naruto asked sarcastically, like the door was probably as heavy as a feather. He went up to the door and readied himself as well. When Riyu and Sakura did the same, they all pushed.

Naruto was wrong. Just as Kakashi had predicted, the door was enormously heavy. After driving the majority of their own respective chakra down in their feet, the door began to slightly budge. Riyu grunted as he pushed even harder. The necklace, once again, went unnoticed as it began leaking out more blue chakra. Finally, after what seemed like an eon of pushing, the door opened up just enough for each of them to slip through.

Once they were successfully inside the temple, they could all feel a chill running through the air. Sakura and Riyu both shuddered because they weren't wearing warm clothes.

Riyu spotted an old fashioned unlit candle chandelier dangling from the ceiling of the temple. Aiming carefully, he shot four fireballs into the air and caught each candle. The flames burst on the candle sticks as they began to dance on top of them. The flames illuminated what appeared to be the main room. But it didn't appear to be any form of a main room. When you think of main rooms, you think of things you want people to see, like pictures, paintings, or at least something to sit on. In here, nothing like that, except for the chandeliers and some candles hanging from the walls, was present in the room. All it was was just an enormous stone room with two different holes in the sides representing the hallways. Nothing more. It was just a big stone room with nothing interesting. The only thing that was even remotely interesting was an enormous pentagon.

"Neh, what's this pentagon thingy for." Naruto asked as he squatted down on it.

Riyu shrugged as he bent down next to Naruto.

"Who knows. All I know is, if this temple is legendary, it must do something. So I say we get of of it before something bad happens." Riyu finished nervously standing up and stepping away from the pentagon. Naruto nodded and did the same. They stood on the outside of the pentagon, staring down at it, side by side.

Kakashi slightly chuckled as he and Sakura approached the boys. He stopped his chuckling when he noticed what the pentagon was for. It was for summoning. Kakashi quickly grabbed the boys shoulders and gently yanked them back a few steps. Just to make sure they wouldn't do something to set it off.

"Hey! What was that for?" Riyu asked as he turned towards his lazy sensei. Naruto also turned to face him, waiting for an explanation. Kakashi sighed for probably the tenth time that day.

"Because this pentagon is used for summonings. And if you two were to somehow activate the summoning, then we would more than likely die." He said, making Naruto and Riyu pale. They exchanged frightened looks before they stepped farther away from it. Sakura chuckled.

"Okay, enough clowning around. Let's get back to the mission. Sakura, you come with me. Naruto, you take Riyu with you the other way." Kakahsi said, pointing at the right end of the enormous room. We are to meet back here in this room in two hours. Am I understood?" He asked for what seemed like the fifth time that day. They all nodded, Naruto and Riyu holding a grin on their faces. Sakura, on the other hand, didn't share the same enthusiasm as the other boys. She felt, deep down in her heart, that something bad was going to happen. She just didn't know what.

"All right, team! Let's go."

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Almost immediately after five minutes of walking, Naruto and Riyu were completely and utterly bored out of their minds. Naruto walked on the left, checking the boring rooms on his side, while Riyu walked on the right, checking the rooms on his side.

All it was was a massive hallway with numerous doors on each side every few feet away. Every room was the same. A square room with a small, square table in the center. There were no window on either side of the walls. And after finding about thirty more rooms just like the first one, Naruto and Riyu stopped searching the rooms and would just glance in them and keep on walking down the hall.

Naruto was starting to fidget. He would rather be anywhere else, even in a school, than stay in this place. At least in a school he could sneak out or take a nap or something. The real torure was the fact that he couldn't get a conversation started with Riyu. Riyu was unusually quiet, he was probably just tired, and it was driving Naruto insane. He knew that, to ensure his survival, he had to start up a conversation. He looked into yet another boring room, and after that waste of time, he started talking to Riyu.

"Riyu?" He began. When Riyu looked in his direction, he continued, "Are you bored too?"

"Extremely."

"Me too." Naruto stated as he folded his arms comfortably behind his head. Riyu turned his head to the right to check out another room. It was still the same. He sighed as he let his arms dangle by his sides. He was really bored.

Suddenly, thanks to Naruto's bored statement, he came up with an idea to pass time. He came up with the best plan to pass the time, the greatest torture he could torture Naruto with. Casually, Riyu looked over at Naruto.

"Hey, Naruto." He said with a slight grin plastered on his face. Naruto looked over at him, hopefull that a conversation would soon be started.

"Yeah?"

"Red is _so_ much cooler than orange will ever be." He said, keeping his grin the same size.'This will definitely push his buttons for sure.' He thought hopefully.

"WHAT!" Naruto yelled at the red clad ninja, "I think you have it backwards. Red sucks, and orange is the color of the gods. How can you pick red over orange?"

"Because..."

"Because what?"

"Because it's more mature."

"That's not true in the slightest. The luckiest and the strongest wear orange." Naruto said, emphasizing the statement by pointing at his own jacket. "Besides, the Yondaime wore orange." Naruto said in triumph. He felt he had won.

"Yeah, he did." Riyu agreed, "And look what happened to him."

"Okay, well how about the fact that..."

It went like that for about an hour. It was their classic red-vs-orange showdown.

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As Sakura and Kakashi made their way down the other hallway, they could feintly hear Naruto's yelling. As they went farther along down the hallway, and Naruto's voice faded away, they only assumed that Naruto was having one of his arguements with Riyu. They both sighed as they checked yet another room.

"Ugh, will those two _ever_ stop their bickering?" Sakura asked, more to herself than to Kakashi.

"I highly doubt it.' Kakashi stated, walking back down the hall to the next room.

They walked on more, finding the same results in every room. They had been walking down this hallway and checking the many rooms for almost an hour now, and they were starting to get annoyed. Well, Sakura more than Kakashi. He seemed to be deep in thought.

'Hmm, this is strange' He thought, 'Every room is the same as the last one. And no windows are visible in any room, even though we all saw them from the outside of this temple.' Kakahi now lowered his head in deeper thought. 'And this hallway doesn't see to end.'

He suddenly stopped and pulled out a single kunai knife. He then approached a side wall and jammed the kunai knife into it. He pulled back and examined it. Determining that the position the kunai was in was adequite, he continued his walk.

Sakura was confused as to why her sensei had stopped and embedded his kunai into the wall. Seeing her confusion, he stopped and turned to her.

"Don't worry about it, Sakura. Just keep walking and, if I'm right, everything should be clear soon." He finished as he started to walk forward. Sakura paused for a brief second before following her lazy sensei.

'I still don't understand what it was that he just did, but I guess I'll find out soon enough.' She thought as she caught up with her sensei and walked next to him.

After a few more minutes of walking, something sticking out of the wall caught the two companions' eyes. Something small, sharp, and deadly.

Kakashi's kunai knife!

Sakura quickly looked to the knife, then at her sensei, back at the knife once more, and then back at her sensei.

"Kakashi-sensei, how is this here? You left your kunai embedded in the wall back there. How did it get up here?" She asked in both disbelief and confusion as her eyes wandered repeatedly from the knife and back to her sensei.

"It's just as I thought." Kakashi stated, apparently ignoring Sakura's previous question.

"What's just as you thought?" She asked, still confused.

Kakashi glanced at Sakura. "Sakura, haven't you been the least bit curious as to why this hallway keeps dragging on, why all the rooms are the same, and why my kunai is still in this wall?" He finished pointing at the kunai in the wall.

Realization finally struck her.

"It's a genjutsu, isn't it?" She asked. Kakashi nodded

"Yes, it is. And a powerful one at that." He said as he walked over to the stone wall and plucked his kunai out.

"Well...how do we break it. If it is really that powerful, can we break it." Sakura asked, almost desperately.

As if in answer to Sakura's question, Kakahsi lifted the left part of his hitae-ate from his eye and moved it up, revealing his blood red sharingan eye. The two black droplets started spinning rapidly as Kakashi analyzed the genjutsu. Soon, it stopped spinning and remained still once again. He brought his hands up once again to his chin, pondering on what he was going to do.

Placing his kunai back into his pouch, he readily brought his hands up, preparing to perform a jutsu.

"Step back Sakura. This could be dangerous." He said. When she did what she was told, he started speeding through hand seals.

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"Red kicks oranges ass any day of the week." Riyu proclaimed as they came across another room, this one exactly the same as the last one. Turning back to the hall, which seemed to drag on and on with no trace of stopping, they continued their arguement.

"No way Riyu. You have it completely backwards!" Naruto retorted at Riyu. "And besides, orange is-Whoah!"

Suddenly, violent pulsations began to run down the hallway, sending both Naruto and Riyu to the ground. The ground, the ceiling, and the walls were rattling violently. Stone slabs began crumbling down from the ceiling, smashing to pieces on contact with the ground. All of the crumbling stones were bearing down onto the two companions, leaving small lumps on each of their heads.

"Shit!" Naruto exclaimed as he barely dodged another enormous slab of rock that tumbled down at him. Their first thoughts were to immediately run straight, but the path was blocked by gigantic slabs of stone and rock. So, they were forced to dodge the slabs. "It's coming down faster and faster. It's getting so hard to dodge!"

'Damn it! What do we do know?' Riyu thought as he narrowly dodged a decent sized slab of stone. 'It's all gonna give way soon anyway. The question is, what do I do now.' He paused for a moment. His eyes widened as an idea struck him.

'I got it. There's no guarentee it'll work, but thats how I like to live.' Riyu thought as he brought his hands up into a single seal.

"Naruto!" Riyu yelled to his partner as he started performing some hand seals. Riyu didn't even wait for Naruto to acknowledge him before he spoke again. "Get as close as you can behind me and duck! Now!" Riyu yelled.

Without argueing, Naruto jumped over and dodged more pieces of rock and rubble as he ran over to his best friend. When he reached Riyu's back, he crouched down.

Riyu did the same, still running through his hand signs.

More and more rubble began to fall, threatening to bury th two young teenagers alive.

Riyu stopped on a single seal.

The roof completely gave way, burying the two friend in an immense sea of stone and rock.

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Almost immediately after Kakashi undid the genjutu, he regretted it. The genjutsu was only a decoy, meant to be detected and dispelled. The real trap was yet to come. The booby trap was to activate as soon as the illusion was dispelled.

But by the time Kakashi had realized this, it was already too late. He quickly turned to a scared Sakura. They made eye contact, and Kakashi could feel her fear. Then, suddenly, there was a rumble, and a few small pieces of rock fell to the ground. Kakashi instantly knew what was coming.

"Run!" He ordered her as he broke into a sprint, running down the hall. Sakura quickly followed, staying close to Kakashi. Glancing back, she could see more and more rubble falling from the ceiling and the cracks forming in the walls from where they previously stood. However, as they got farther and farther away, the falling of stone and rock began to lessen and lessen before stopping altogether. Sakura and Kakashi immediately stopped running and turned back, rubble still falling on the spot where Kakashi had undone the genjutsu.

'This all seems to be a little too extreme.' He thought looking back at the rock falling from the ceiling 'I thought that it was just an old abandoned temple, nothing more. If the builders of this temple went through such extremes, then there must be something very valuable or very sacred in this very temple. Which would mean...' His visable eye widened in realization.

"The rubble was also a distraction." He stated.

"Wh-what do you mean by that?" Sakura asked. She didn't really understand what her sensei was talking about.

"I mean," He began, " That those falling stones were also a distraction. They were not meant to kill us, they were falling to trigger another trap of some kind." He finished turning back to Sakura, trying to make sure she understood what he had just said.

She understood perfectly. Something strong and big was going to be attacking soon, and she wanted to be ready for it.

"What do you think it could be?" She asked, turning her head to meet Kakashi's eyes with her own. Both their eyes then turned to the rubble that cover the ground a little ways behind them. Sakura gasped when she saw a lone figure standing atop the rubble.

He wore a mask, much similar to Kakashi's, except for the fact that it didn't cover his left eye. In his right hand lay a thick, heavy, long, and legendary sword, hanging over his shoulders.

"It's see you still have those brats with you, eh Kakahsi?" The figure said, slowly removing the mask that covered the bottom part of his face. Once it was off, he began taking slow steps towards the duo. "It's been a long time since we met. What has it been? Two years, I think. Am I right?"

Kakahsi recognized the man immediately. It was the same man that he had fought on the Great Nartuo Bridge, The same man that had tried to kill the bridge builder, Tazuna. It was the Demon of the Mist.

It was Momochi Zabuza that stood before them, wearing a moniacle grin on his hateful face.

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Cool, two cliffies in one chapter. Well, if you count the whole Zabuza thing a cliffy, then it's a cliffy. I bet that none of you saw that coming. I practically gave you all a clue with the title of the chapter and temple. The Temple of Lost _Souls_. Zabuza was evil, he died. I figured I could work him in. Not that much happened in this chapter, but it only gets better from here.

To those of you reading this without official fan fiction accounts, you can review for this story. I looked at the story stats. Over 2000 people have read it, and I only have 26 reviews. Is it just that you are too lazy to review, or you don't think you can. I accept any kind of review.

To those of you who did review, as promised, here's your review answers. Enjoy!

**T.O.B: **Thanks for your answer. Do you always start your reviews out like that. That's neat, I wish I had a catch phrase. ( just so all you non-members know, he's not a member either)

**Dragon Man 180:** I know, and she did beat me up using Jyuken style. It hurt very badly. The temple relating to the title, not really. You keep getting close, but T.O.B is much closer than you are. By the way, there is something special in this temple that sets the adventure in the story. About the bet, you're close, but no cigare. It does involve Naruto and Hinata, though. I told you Riyu has a betting problem.

**Light of the Demons:** I had heard he moved, but to the middle east. Do you think he's really the Iraq commander. That would explain alot. Anyway, thank you for the answer, you just saved part of my story. Thanks again.

**Lyra the Sorceress of Scholars:** I admit, it does sound a little dramatic. And the if the dramatic thing about the jutsu are the capitol letters. I kinda accidentally hit caps lock, and realized I did after I updated. It wouldn't have happened if they hadn't put the caps lock button on top of the shift button anyway. And what do you mean you think. You put me on alert.

**almostinsane: **Don't worry, I didn't send him there. Again, God bless you too.

Thanks for the reviews. They make me feel good.

By the way, I'm just curious. I know what most slang means, but I can't figure out what the hell XD means. Please tell me.

Since Riyu did such a good job at doing the disclaimer for me, I'm just going to leave you with with a question about Naruto.

Where is the Cloud from, anyway. I now know why they hate the Hyuga, but I need to know where they are. This question has been plagueing my mind for a few days now.

Read and review. Please, for the sake of this fiction, review. How about this, 5 reviews or no update.

PEACE!


	7. Ch 6 Haku's Bloodline

Cool, when I say 5 reviews or no update, you all come through. Thanks for the reviews. Since that worked out so well, there is no more need for me to threaten anything anymore. This is an action chapter, and I'm not too good at describing it, but I did my best. I hope you enjoy it. I had fun writing it.

Tuesday, as most of you should know, was Naruto's birthday! This chapter is my birthday present to Naruto. I know it is two days late, but you would not believe how hard I tried to get this updated. I couldn't get anytime for the computer. Everytime I got home, I would have to do something else or go somewhere else. I was at Logan's Roadhouse for 3 hours. I almost didn't want to be there, but the food was so good. So, anyway:

Even though it's a little late, HAPPY BIRTHDAY NARUTO!

Also, I know I typoed on Kakashi's sharingan. It's not 2 teardrops, it's 3. Let's just pretend that I said three and get on with the story.

**Disclaimer:** Who the hell would honestly believe I own Naruto. I'm not japanese, that should be your first clue. I do own Riyu and Zulku, though.

**Bold: Kyubi talking**

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**Chapter 6: Haku's Bloodline**

Naruto and Riyu lay buried in a sea of heavy rock and stone. The only thing from keeping the rubble from crushing the two boys was a dome of rock that surrounded the two companions. They both lay panting under the dome, Riyu panting heavier. Naruto was panting more from fear than from exhaustion. Suddenly, as if realizing that the rock and stone would no longer pose a threat, he sat up with a grin on his face.

"Riyu, that was awesome! When did you learn to do that?" He asked, enthusiastically.

Riyu glanced over at Naruto. When he saw the grin, he knew immediately that it wasn't genuine. It was his fake grin, he used it whenever he was scared. Riyu propped himself up into a crouching position.

"Uhh...I think it was about three months before Jiraiya's...accident." Riyu said as he brought his hands up into a single hand seal, concentrating what little chakra he had left into disaperating the barrier that protected the two boys.

Slowly, the barrier started receeding into the ground, taking all the rubble buried on top of it down into the ground. Once it was done, Riyu and Naruto both stood up fully. Naruto ventured forward, while Riyu remained there, new leaning over trying to catch his breath.

'I don't understand.' Riyu thought, 'I thought I was out of chakra.'

"Whoah! Riyu, check this out!" Naruto yelled, clearly impressed at something.

Riyu slowly lifted his head and walked over towards Naruto. He looked at the impressed face of Naruto before letting his eyes venture over to what Naruto was talking about. His jaw almost dropped in amazement.

The hallway was gone, and in its place was an enormous room. It looked extremely similar to the preliminary room from the Chunin Exam, except it didn't have the rafters. It was also much bigger, probably about three times bigger. The same hand seal was in the back, and a small, spiraling staircase that led up to the second floor was right in front of it.

"This place..it's..it's-"

"Huge!" Naruto finished, his voice echoing throuought the enormous room. " But, why does it look like the preliminary room from the Chunin Exam?" He asked, more to himself than to Riyu.

"That's because the other room was modeled after this one." A voice from the center of the room calmly said.

Naruto squinted to make out the figure standing in the center of the vast room. The voice seemed somewhat familiar, but he couldn't place his finger on it. All he knew was that he hadn't heard the voice in a long time.

"It's been a long time Naruto. You too, Riyu." The voice of a boy said as the figure began walking towards them.

"How the hell do you know our names?" Riyu yelled at the figure as he reached into his pouch for a kunai.

Suddenly, his hand was met by a minor, but familiar, pain. He glanced down at his right hand and saw a senben needle lodged within his hand. A small bit of blood trickled down his hand as Riyu pulled it out.

'Wait, there's only one person I remember that would use senben needles like that.' Naruto thought as he peered at the figure.

"Have you figured it out yet?" The boy asked, coming closer with every step.

"Figure what out?" Riyu asked. He wasn't getting it, this boy sounded familiar. But he just couldn't figure out who it was.

The boy chuckled.

"My identity." He said as he stepped closer, now within recognizable view.

Naruto's thought were confirmed when he saw the boy's face.

"H-Haku?"

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"Zabuza?" Kakashi asked in disbelief as he stared at the former missing ninja.

"What's wrong Kakahsi? It's almost like you've seen a ghost." Zabuza said with a fake form of sincerity.

"I think I have." Kakashi responded as he took a kunai out of his pouch.

"Wait a minute!" Sakura exclaimed, "You're dead. We saw you die. How is this possible?"

Zabuza chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Sakura asked in confusion. She still didn't understand. She remembered clearly that Team 7 had buried Zabuza and Haku two years ago. This didn't make any sense to her at all.

"It is true, girl, that my physical body is of no further use. However, that doesn't mean that my spiritual body is destroyed." Zabuza stated smoothly.

"I still don't get it." Sakura said. Kakashi thought this was strange. Sakura usually caught on quickly, but today she was out of it. He remembered Sakura coming to their meeting spot late, saying she had another bad dream about Zabuza.

"It means," Kakashi explained, "That even though he is dead, his spirit is still hanging around."

"Very close, Kakashi." Zabuza said, "You could call this my punishment for destroying so many innocent lives. Soon after Haku and I died, we found ourselves before a grand council of spirits. They told us that, because of our sins, we should be sent into a personal hell for all eternity. But, since we died doing something 'noble', as you would call it, we were sentenced to be the first floor guardians for two-hundred years. Or unless someone claims the treasure."

"Treasure? What is this treasure that you speak of?" Kakashi asked, a little dumbstruck. Honestly, a treasure was the last thing he had expected to find in this temple.

Zabuza's eyes widened briefly, before reverting back to their cold, dark expression.

"I assumed you knew of the treasure. Why else would you be down here?" Zabuza finished tightening his grip on the hilt of his sword.

"The answer is simple. We're on an investigation missionl." Kakashi answered as he realized that Zabuza was preparing to attack. Zabuza lowered his head a bit.

"It's too bad that it was your team that was assigned on this mission."

"Why is that?" Sakura enquired, bracing herself for Zabuza's attack.

Zabuza chuckled to himself a bit more. "Becaue now I have to kill you." He said as he charged towards Kakashi. His sword raised to its peak, he swiftly brought it down onto his opponent.

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"Riyu." Haku said as he surveyed the intruders. His eyes then ventured over towards Naruto. "Naruto, under different circumstances, I would be very glad to see you." He finished, readying five senben needles in each hand.

"What do you mean by that?" Naruto asked, a bit confused.

"I'm bound to this temple for two-hundred years, to serve and to guard with everything I've got. I must seek and destroy any intruder that enters." Haku finished, throwing five needles at each boy.

Naruto dove to the left, dodging easily. Riyu, however, took the full blow as he raised his arms over his face. He was too worn out from using all the element styles earlier. The senben needles hung from his arms.

As Haku's needles bombarded Riyu, he failed to notice Naruto running at him until his food had connected with his chin, sending him into a backflip. Haku landed on his feet and thrusted a senben needle deeply into Naruto's throat.

The Naruto kage bunshin disappeared immeadiately into a puff of smoke as the real Naruto charged from behind it, his hand into a fist, as he yelled "RASENGAN!"

Haku saw Naruto's movements in slow motion, which was perfect for him. He saw his chance as Naruto thrusted his arm forward. He swiftly caught Naruto's wrist in mid-air and twisted it violently. The twisting immediately dispersed the rasengan.

Haku then flung Naruto back into Riyu's direction violently. Naruto slammed into Riyu, sending them backwards into the ground.

"You're hoding back again, Naruto." Haku stated as he began to preform hand seals.

"I don't want to kill you Haku." Naruto said as he staggered up. Riyu did the same, only a little more dificult.

"You simple fool." Haku stated as he stopped on a single seal, "You cannot kill what is already dead. CRYSTAL ICE MIRROR NO JUTSU!"

Slowly, enormous slabs of flat ice emerged from out of nowhere and surrounded the boys in the center of the room.

"Wait a minute! How can you summon those mirrors with no water or ice anywhere?" Riyu questioned as he looked the mirrors over.

"Simple, there is water and ice in this very room. There is even sand, grass, and rock. Take a look." Haku said as he brought his hand back, directing their attention to the outside of of the crystal ice mirrors.

Sure enough, as the two friends glanced around, on the left side of the room was an immense pile of sand rising up as high as the statue in the back. On the opposite wall, there was a small pool of water, half frozen and half just a pool of still water. To the left of that was a small patch of grass, and in the same corner was a slight fog. Around the grass was a pile of rocks. This room was an elementalists' dream. Well, to Riyu anyway.

"This room was designed for spirits to enter the temple." Haku said as he slowly began to merge into an ice mirror, "The sand ninja enter through the sand, the mist ninja enter through the mist, grass through grass, and so on. When you die, this is where you come, in a sense. In this temple, there is a gateway that connects the Earth to the other place."

"Wait a minute!" Riyu said, trying to buy time. He needed the conversation to last as long as possible, in order to recover some much needed chakra. "Why is it called the Temple of Lost Souls anyway? There's no way that all souls could be lost."

"That is true." Haku said as he completely merged with the mirror. "Lost is just a polite way of saying the damned. You see, the temple is a place to hold evil spirits such as murderers, thieves, and others like Zabuza and myself. It is an area that decides if you recieve a peaceful eternal rest, or an eternity of a personal hell. Zabuza and I are in a personal hell right now for two-hundred years, or until the treasure is found."

"Treasure? You mean there is an actual treasure in this temple?" Naruto asked as he snapped his wrist back into place.

"Yes, there is. But, unfortunately for you-." Dozens of Hakus began to appear, one in each mirror, each armed fully with senben needles. "YOU WILL NEVER GET THAT FAR!" Cried Haku as each Haku threw their needles at the boys.

Riyu attempted to jump back, while Naruto dove to the right. The efforts were futile. Four needles punctured Riyu's left shoulder, while two went through Naruto's chest, just missing his vital organs.

"I have spent every minute of every day training. I need no food, nor do I sleep or drink. I feel no fatigue. I am the ultimate shinobi, a true killing machine!" Haku said as both Naruto and Riyu stood back up fully and readied themselves for the offensive.

"Oh yeah?" Riyu said, barely able to stand. "Well, we've gotten stronger too."

"Yeah, and we're gonna kick your ass again!" Naruto said, complete confidence in his voice as he brought his hands into his favorite seal. Riyu saw what Naruto was doing, and did the same with what little chakra he had left.

"KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!" Both boys yelled as dozens of Narutos and about half a dozen Riyu's filled the space inside Haku's ice mirror barrier.

Haku sighed, as if bored already.

"How lame." He said as he, with what appeared to be the slight flicker of his wrist, destroyed every single clone. Now, only Naruto was left.

'Wait. It's only Naruto.' Haku thought as he nervously glanced around. 'Then where is the other one?' "Where is Riyu?" He asked himself.

"I'm right here." Came Riyu's voice from behind Haku. Haku froze for a split second before realizing that Riyu was in the same mirror as he was. However, realization came too late.

Riyu quickly wrapped his arms around Haku's body, holding tightly. Riyu binded Haku with his arms.

"How did you get into my mirror?" Haku asked in disbelief as he struggled to get free.

"Well, I am an elementalist. Slipping into a crystal ice mirror is no challange for me." Riyu answered, trying to halt Haku's movements.

"When did you do it?" Haku asked, still trying to break free.

"The clones were just a simple distraction," Naruto answered, a grin plastered on his face, "So you wouldn't notice Riyu slide into one of your mirrors. And we remembered how you have to quickly jump from mirror to mirror, So we had Riyu wait for you to get into his mirror for him to hold you back, and for me to get a clear shot at you."

"Hmph, clever." Admitted Haku, a small smile gracing his lips, "But not clever enough."

Riyu tightened his grip at Haku's words as Naruto began to form the ransengan in his hand. Haku merely closed his eyes. This was it, this fight was going to be a quick one. Naruto charged at Haku, rasengan in hand. Haku merely opened his eyes.

"RASEN-what?" Naruto stopped his charge, rasengan in hand, as Haku opened his eyes.

"What are you waiting for?" Riyu yelled at Naruto, his grip on Haku weakening.

"H-his eyes. They're square, and they're spinning." Naruto said, paralyzed from what he saw in Haku's eyes.

Riyu was just getting annoyed at the way Naruto wouldn't attack. He was losing his grip, and Naruto was losing it.

"What the hell are you talk-...!" Riyu was cut short by an intense searing pain that shot through his chest. He felt as if he had just been stabbed. Riyu glanced down, and his eyes widened in pain and in shock. Pertruding from Haku's back was half of an enormous crystal. The other half was sticking out of Riyu's back.

Haku quickly spun and, without moving his arms, shot the crystal out of his back, taking Riyu along with it, at Naruto. Naruto swiftly caught Riyu's body and slid it out of the slab of crystal. He lowered Riyu down, he was breathing heavily. The crystal spike continued on until it hit the ground, melting immediately. Crouching down next to Riyu's unconcious body, he glared daggers towards Haku.

"What the hell was that!" Naruto yelled, but not entirely in his own voice. "I don't remember you being able to do that the last time we fought!"

"That was the advanced form of my bloodline limit. With this, I can produce crystal ice spikes from my body, or from any one of my mirrors. Now, I'm truely unbeatable."

"Shit!" Naruto said as thousands of crystal ice spikes began to form in the mirrors that surrounded him. With Riyu on the brink of death, it was all up to him to fight and win against Haku.

"**So Kit, what are you going to do now that the whelp is out of comission**?" A voice in Naruto's head asked.

_'Kyubi?' _Naruto mentally asked.

"**The one and only, kit. Now, what did you want anyway**?" Kyubi asked, smirking in his metaphorical cage.

_'What do you mean what do I want? You're the one that just popped up out of nowhere!' _Naruto boomed at the fox trapped within his body.

'**So what? I could tell that you wanted my power. I'll give it to you so we won't die. And you can save the whelp in the process.**' Kyubi said.

Naruto foded floded his metaphorical arms. '_Fine_.' He told the Kyubi as he felt the seal loose and Kyubi's chakra burst free. Naruto could feel power surging through his entire body.

"Your gonna pay," Naruto said, not in his own voice, with his eyes transforming from cerulean blue to a crimson red with black slits for pupils. His nails and teeth had sharpened to a deadly point, the tips of his spikey blond hair had been graced with red, with a single tail of chakra exploding behind him, "For what you did to Riyu."

Haku cringed a bit at the sight of the transformed Naruto. He remembered what had happened the last time Naruto had unleashed the Nine-Tailed Foxes chakra. This time, Haku felt, he had the perfect plan.

'I'll just small those stupid mirrors like last time.' Naruto thought as he began his assault on Haku, running at him blindly.

In an instant, Naruto went from the center of the arena to the mirror occupied by Haku, who saw all of his movements quite easily. Naruto swiftly pulled his fist back and launched it at Haku's mirror. Suddenly, his fist halted itself.

"Ahhh!" Naruto gasped and yelled as his hand, no matter which direction he jerked it, remained unmoved. Crystal spikes pierced his right hand all the way through. Finally, the crystal ice spikes that pierced his hand receeded back into the mirror, and Naruto stepped back to examine the blood dripping down his hand. Before he knew it, the wound stopped bleeding altogether, thanks to the Nine-Tailed Foxe's chakra.

"Naruto, taijutsu attacks will not work on me or my new mirrors. Your attacks are futile, just like Riyu's." Haku said as he switched mirrors quickly.

Naruto snapped his head in every direction, searching for Haku.

"SHUT UP!" Naruto roared as another tail formed at his bottom, making a total of two tails that pertruded from him. He whipped his head around more.

'**To the top left, kit.**' Kyubi ordered.

Naruto looked where Kyubi had told him and saw Haku standing in it, grinning at him. Naruto leapt at the mirror, intending to smash it to pieces with ever fiber of his being. However, he found his movements were slowing and Haku leapt to the mirror to his right. Naruto slammed into the mirror with his fist at full force, but the mirror only budged as more spikes shot out of the mirror and pierced Naruto's flesh once again.

He felt somethng enter his skin before his wound closed completely. He shrugged the thought off as he landed on the ground with a soft thud, and scanned th mirrors once again for any sign of Haku. He stopped searching when he found Haku, on the other end of the dome, still smiling at Naruto.

"I feel no chakra exhaustion, Naruto. But you, on the other hand, are beginning to feel fatigue." Haku said as he launched more senben needles at Naruto. Two needles caught him in the left leg as he jumped right. As Naruto landed, he was assaulted by more needles. The attacks just kept coming no matter where Naruto went.

'_Wait_.' Naruto thought as he continued to dodge the oncoming needles, every few hitting somewhere on his body from every direction, '_What's going on. I should be dodging these attacks easily. Kyubi, what's going on_?' He mentally asked Kyubi.

'**It's poison that's causing this**.' Kyubi said as Haku ceased his attack.

"Poison?" Naruto thought out loud as he positioned himself next to a bloodied Riyu, who was lying in a puddle of his own blood.

"So you have finally figured it out, eh?" Haku stated as if it were obvious. "It is true that the crystal spikes that you were hit by were naturally tipped with poison. The poison that seems to be affecting you the most came from the needles. These are special needles, given to me by the ones that forced me to become guardian of this half of the tower. They told me about how you had the Kyubi sealed away inside of you, and I'll admit that I was shocked at first, but then it made sense. They told me that it was not unthought of that a demon would attempt to steal the treasure hidden in this temple. In these needles are a poison that dispells demonic chakra and renders it useless." Haku finished, holding up some needles, showing Naruto what he was talking about.

Haku chuckled to himself when he saw Naruto tense up a little.

"I rigged up dozens of needles inside each of these mirrors. You're finished." Haku said as he saw Naruto going through his change.

Naruto's eyes had gone from a crimson red back to the normal cerulean blue, his nails and his teeth had dulled down, and the chakra tails disappeared. Naruto had now reverted back to his normal self, his chakra half gone. He couldn't even hear Kyubi's voice in his head anymore, and he had tried many times to get it to shut up.

' I can do one more ransengan,' Naruto thought as he looked Haku over from top to bottom. 'But I have to make it count, or else I'm as good as dead.'

Haku saw Naruto take the offensive, he saw every step Naruto took as he charged at him, he saw Naruto bring hs arm back for the rasengan attack. He saw everything that Naruto was planning, and he knew the best way to counter it.

Naruto leapt into the air and thrusted his chakra filled hand at Haku's crystal ice mirror.

"RASENGAN!" Naruto yelled as he thrust the rest of his chakra, in the form of a rasengan, into the ice mirror. It shattered completely on impact.

"Ha! Got you!" Naruto yelled in triumph, a sly grin plastered on his face. Naruto heard a feint chuckle from his side.

"Not quite." Came Haku's voice from the mirror next to him. Haku sped through some hand seals befor his opened square eyes began spinning rapidly again. "Crstal cage no jutsu!" Haku yelled.

The ice mirror Naruto had just recently smashed into pieces bagan to form into a barrier, with Naruto in the center. Soon, the entire mirror had transformed into a crystal cage surrounding Naruto. He began throwing weakened punches at the mirror in an attempt to break out of it, but nothing happened.

"It's useless Naruto." Haku said, "The barrier is impervious to any attack you may somehow come up with from the inside."

Haku raised his palm into the air, and the crystal cage began to rise as well. Then Haku jerked his arm to the left and slung it downwards. Naruto was flung to the left and slammed through an ice mirror before slamming down into the ground. Blood began to seep through Naruto's mouth and arms as he fought to stay concious. His vision was already becoming blurry, and he was getting a headache. Nothing seemed to be going right for him.

'I don't get it. Haku shouldn't be this strong.' Naruto thought as he braced for impact onto the cold, hard ground.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, that it has to be this way." Haku said with sincerity as he started performing one handed seals. " But this is the way it has to be. This is the end for you. CRYSTAL ICE SPIKE MIRROR NO JUTSU!" A single tear escaped Haku's eye and slid down his cheek as hundreds of crystal ice spikes began to form from within the mirrors.

Haku finished his jutsu, releasing his control on the spikes.

"Goodbye Naruto." Haku said quietly to himself as hundreds of spikes began to assault Naruto, bearing down on his weakened body.

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So, how was it. I didn't think it was my best work, but I think it was pretty good.

I give you yet another cliffy. Is Riyu gonna die, or is he already dead. What's gonna happen to Naruto. Find out in the next chapter.

Before I answer reviews, I would like to take this moment to tell you something. While you're waiting for this story to update, you should check out Beyond Hearts and Minds if you haven't already. It's over 40 chapters, and very good. Check it out.

Okay, now I will be answering the reviews I got. Here I go:

**pyro-chan the dragon king:** Well, at least you didn't say it sucked.

**xXnarutofan-22Xx:**You are my new best friend!

**Lyra the Sorceress of Scholars:** It might be for a biju, it might not. You have a problem with definites, don't you.

**T.O.B:** There is no connection between the two. Dang, you nailed the bet thing. Way to go. The same thing happened to me when I first tried to join It was my e-mail address. You should try using a different e-mail address. Give it a shot. I would love to read your stories, if you ever get them posted.

**almostinsane:** It's not gonna be as easy as you think. But thanks for the review anyway.

**Dragon Man 180:** Only evil ones can show up. He might show up later, though. Have as much fun as you want and guess away!

**Light of the Demons:** Thanks. I did look up XD, and now it's safe to say that I will not use it. It was just too confusing. Well, there might be a connection, you'll have to wait to find out.

**keelei:** Thanks for telling me. I fixed it in the next chapter.

**BountyHunterAWL:** Don't worry, originality will come soon, I promise. I didn't think it was that great when I started writing, but now I see that it's pretty good. Thanks for the review.

Remember, I will answer all reviews at the end of each chapter.

5 reviews or no update.

See ya later!


	8. Ch 7 Zabuza's Revenge

(A/N) Thanks for all the reviews I got. Right now, I think I need to clarify some things. Some of you are complaining about the fact that I skipped too much in the time skip. I would like to point out that I knew from the beginning that this was going to happen. I had planned ahead for a chapter, when the main adventure was going on, to have almost nothing but flashbacks. These flashbacks will be good. I've been working on them for a while now, so I think you'll like them.

Sorry for the slow update. I've been busy. School just restarted, and my classes are boring. I'm a sophmore taking spanish 3 and algebra 2. Algebra class is where I write my fanfic the most, so it's not all bad.

In the immortal words of Shikamaru, "Schools a drag."

Oh, yeah. Some of you are looking at this so far and wondering when the mindless fluff will set in. I promise, after this temple thing, the fluff will start rolling in.

How come none of you have asked me if Riyu is going to be okay? No one cares about him?

_Italics: Flashbacks, sound effects_

Here you go, the latest chapter of Fusion

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**Ch.7 Zabuza's Revenge**

Kakashi leapt back as Zabuza began his attack, swinging his sword down at Kakashi. As soon as Kakashi was a safe distance away, he pulled two kunai out of his patch and rapidly threw them at Zabuza. Zabuza grinned sarcastically as he caught both kunai and immediately threw them down, deeply embedding them into the ground.

"I'm surprised Zabuza," Kakashi said as he took out two more kunai knives and fell into a fighting stance. "You're holding back."

Zabuza narrowed his eyes, glaring at Kakashi as he relaxed his pose and brought his sword to rest upon his shoulders. He looked Kakashi over a few times before his gaze switched over to Sakura. The young konoichi was standing stock still, shaking with fear. He could tell immediately that the last time they had met had left a life long impression on the girl. His eyes then ventured back over towards Kakashi.

"Observant as ever Kakashi," Zabuza said. "It really is a coincidence that it ended up being the two of us fighting again. Just like Haku is fighting your other brats."

"What?!" Kakashi asked in disbelief to what he had been told. "I thought that the boy was pure. I strongly believed that he would find peace in death. What happened?"

"Oh yes, Haku was offered to find the peace that you speak of, but he refused. When he heard about my punishment, he insisted upon serving with me. He felt guilty about taking all those lives, so he decided that it was not fair for him to get the luxury of peace, when he had killed so many people. So he decided to help me guard this temple." Zabuza said as he surveyed the room once more.

"It figures," Kakashi said in disgust, "That the boy would follow you, even in death."

"Of course," Zabuza replied, "He was like the son I never wanted. He's here with me, for as long as needed, to ensure the secracey of the treasure," He paused for another moment,"By the way,Where is the Uchiha brat anyway? I thought he would be here." Zabuza saw Sakura gasp and suddenly still, and he saw Kakashi sigh.

"Sasuke betrayed us all, to go and train with the Snake Sannin, Orochimaru. He was desperate for power, and Orochimaru offered it to him," Kakashi said reluctantly. Zabuza only chuckled once more.

"It's good to see another youth go evil. It makes me feel good inside. Orochimaru you say. I had heard that he was extrememly powerful. Oh well, you know what they say, you win some, and you lose some." Zabuza said.

Sakura took a step forward. " Hold on a minute. Zabuza, I'm curious. What is this 'treasure' that you speak of? It must be either extremely valuable or important for there to be such extremes to make sure no one distrubs it." Sakura said curiously.

"Very observant girl," Zabuza said, "The treasure is indeed special, but we're not here to ensure that no one disturbs the treasure. It's quite the opposite. We're here to ensure the _right_ people find the treasure."

"What do you mean by that?" Sakura asked, still not following.

"Do you remember the pathway that you took to get here?" Zabuza asked.

"Vaguely, why?" Kakashi said with as little enthusiasm as always.

"It was one of the obstacles. You see, there is an actual maze at the entrance, designed to mislead even the greatest shinobi into a trap. The maze would take days to complete." Zabuza stated.

"Then how did we get through?" Sakura asked, "All we did was go down a straight path. There was no maze at all."

Zabuza chuckled a bit to himself. "Well, the only way for the maze to do that was if either you didn't want to find the treasure, or.." He paused with a moniacle grin on his face.

"Or what?" Kakashi asked, now somewhat interested.

He just chuckled some more. "Or if you're just too weak to get anywhere near the treasure," He said. Both Sakura and Kakashi tensed up a little. Sakura gasped in horror, Kakashi remained unmoved. Zabuza took the sword from off of his shoulders and brought it in front of him. " Now is the time for my revenge. Now is the time..you..DIE!!" Zabuza yelled as he lunged forward with his long sword, bringing it down on Kakashi.

Kakashi met his sword with the two kunai he held in his hand, trying to push Zabuza into the defensive as he pushed up with all his strength. Zabuza's grip only strengthened and the force of his attack only intensified.

Zabuza brought the sword back and swung it at Kakashi's head. Kakashi saw it coming and leaned back as far as he could, narrowly dodging the oncoming attack. Kakashi whipped back up just in time to see Zabuza bring his sword down again. Kakashi leapt up into the air, and landed farther away from Zabuza.

When Kakashi looked in Zabuza's direction, he was gone. Kakashi swiftly glanced in all directions before barely seeing the form of Zabuza bring his sword down onto Kakashi. Kakashi barely had time to raise his kunai up again to deflect the attack before they both met in midair.

Zabuza pushed hard, extremely hard, causing Kakashi to drop to one knee as he tried to hold off the attack.

'This is not good. With him keeping on the attack, rather than backing off, I can't perform any of my jutsu. It's like he's trying to keep us both using taijutsu.' Kakashi thought as he pushed upwards harder, trying to stop the thick sword from crushing his skull.

Kakashi was stuck. He couldn't break the contact of the knives with the sword, it might have caused his death. He couldn't retreat, then Zabuza would get Sakura. And he couldn't defend himself with one kunai in order to use the other one to perform a jutsu, he was having enough trouble with two knives. 'This might actually be the end for me,' Kakashi thought as a few crackes began to run through his knives.

"This is it Kakashi!" Zabuza yelled in triumph, "Finally! My revenge is com;-"

_POW!!_ Sakura's fist quickly struck Zabuza's skull, sending him soaring into the stone wall. It collapsed on him on impact, stone collapsing on his rough body.

"I hate showoffs." Sakura said as she popped her knuckles. Kakashi, on the other han, was a bit stunned.

"Err...thank you Sakura." Kakashi said. Sakura looked at him with a smile and nodded in his direction. Kakashi glanced over at the stirring rubble, and then back at Sakura. 'She would never had done that the last time. I guess being the apprentice of a sannin really pays off.' He thought as Zabuza began to rise up from the rubble.

"This isn't over yet." Zabuza said as he sped through some hand seals. "Water bunshin no jutsu!" He yelled as 25 Zabuza's filled the hallway.

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Riyu lay in the center of the room, laying in a puddle of his own blood that was slowly leaking out of the gaping hole of his chest. Crimson blood stained his cloths as his eyes slowly began to flutter open. As soon as he went to breath, he regretted it. Searing pain surged throuought his entire body. Wearily, he glanced down at his chest, and felt sick as soon as he did.

A gaping hole was positioned right in his chest. His necklace was dangling solely in the hole. He groaned as he laid his head back onto the floor. He went to breath again, but found it to be a faint wheeze. His breathing was slowing more and more as more blood seeped through his body.

'Oh well,' Riyu thought as his vision began to get more blurry than it already was, 'Naruto can handle Haku. He did it last time. He can-' His thoughts were cut short by a deafening yell. Riyu's head shot up, ignoring the pain, and glanced to his left, where he had heard that scream of pain. 'That sounded like Naruto.' He thought as his eyes met what they had sought. His eyes widened in horror.

Naruto lay on the ground, blood slowly seeping from his arms and back, unconcious. Numerous spikes surrounded him as Haku looked on in awe.

"Incredible." Haku said in an impressed way, "He timed his escape perfectly."

--Flashback--

_Hundreds of spikes bore down onto Naruto, who could not escape from the crytal prison he was in. The spikes were getting closer and closer, until they barely made contact with the prison. _

_Suddenly, Haku heard a "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" Hundreds of Narutos appeared and disappeared in an instant, protecting the real Naruto from the most fatal blows as he jumped out of the way. But not without getting hit by a few spikes himself._

--End Flashback--

"His plan was flawless." Haku continued, talking to himself. "The exact second the spikes made contact, the prison began to crack. Once it was damaged enough, he could bust out using his clones. The clones also doubled as a safety device, protecting him from the fatal blows." Haku's gaze went from awe to sadness once again as he started some more hand seals. "But you will not escape again."

'Oh shit!' Riyu thought, 'I've gotta get up, or else Naruto's gonna die.' Riyu then tried to sit up, but his body wasn't ready, and his body cringed in pain as he fell back down. 'I can't let that bastard kill my friend!'

Riyu tried to sit up once again, but only succeeded in more pain and more of his blood leak out from his body. 'Damn it! I'm not gonna sit here and let Naruto die!' He thought with determination.

His necklace began to vibrate.

'I will not let him die!'

The necklace began jerking violently.

Riyu clenched his fists. 'I will not let my best friend...'

Wind began to rush up at Riyu as his body began to rise off of the ground, straightening up in mid air. He was now, basically, standing in mid air, hovering over the ground.

Haku immediately stopped his jutsu and turned his attention towards Riyu.

"He...will...not...DIE!!" Riyu yelled as the wind rushed at him more violently and his neclace began releasing green chakra. The chakra immediately began to surround Riyu, making his entire body begin to glow green.

Haku watched in amazement as Riyu's body began healing. Soon, the gaping hole in Riyu's chest was filled with skin and muscke, making his chest whole again. The was no more hole on his body.

'How can he be doing this?' Haku thought as he saw every scratch and injury on Riyu's body begin healing themselves. Soon, the wind died down, and Riyu gently landed back on the floor. The green chakra had receeded back into the necklace, and blue chakra was now surrounded Riyu's necklace.

Riyu's head hung down, his eyes remain unseen to Haku.

'Is he a demon? No, he shows no demonic signs and gives off no demonic chakra. Then what exactly is he?' Haku thought as Riyu slowly brought his head up, his eyes remaining closed. "I must stike quickly." Haku said as he did the necessary hand seals. The crystal ice spikes began to form within the mirrors.

In Riyu's mind, hand seals began to play just like a movie very quickly, but Riyu saw them all perfectly. Without thinking about what it would do, he began performing them. He finished with his index finger and middle finger of his left hand sitting in front of his face. Veins began to pop around his eyes as he swiftly opened his eyes, pupils missing, making Haku cringe.

"BYAKUGAN!!" Riyu yelled as the room began to pulsate before him.

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"How are you able to use water clones? I see no water here." Kakashi said as he stared at the 25 Zabuzas that stood before him. The real Zabuza, the one in the front, opened his mouth to speak.

"I'll give you a free lesson Kakashi." He said, "As you should know, there are two different types of molecules in the air; water molecules and air molecules. It really isn't that dificult to separate the two, as you just saw." Zabuza said, standing stock still.

"Impressive." Kakashi admitted reluctantly, "So this fight will be more interesting than the last one."

"Yes it will." Zabuza said as he and his clones began to run at Kakashi, "And this time it is _you_ who will lose!"

Within a few seconds, Kakashi's sharingan's three tear drops analyzed every detail of the water clones and their weakpoints. He took his last two kunai out, took two quick steps, and vanished.

Sakura could barely make out her sensei as he began his attack. Occasionally, Kakashi would fade into view and then fade back out, all within a few seconds, slashing at Zabuza's water clones. Finally, Kakashi landed in a crouched position on the other end of the hall. The water clones disappeared in an instant, leaving nothing behind but the residue of water on the ground. Kakashi glanced back behind his shoulder to see the real Zabuza, standing atop the water.

Zabuza began preforming hand seals, so Kakashi began to preform the same signs, using his Sharingan. They both stopped on the same seal, and both yelled, "Self imprisonment no jutsu!"

Kakashi's eyes widened in horror as he realized exactly what had happed. Zabuza had tricked him.

'It was a trap,' Kakashi thought as he tried to jump out of the way, but he felt the water already coming up his legs, freezing him in place. He could only stand there and watch Zabuza go through the same thing. 'That's not even really Zabuza.'

Kakashi's thoughts were confirmed as Zabuza's body slowly began to melt away as the real Zabuza rose up from a different puddle.

"It's over Kakashi," Zabuza said as his entire body rose from the puddle, his sword still in his hand. "I win."

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Sakura could not help but be frozen with fear. This was the same Zabuza that had haunted her dreams for a long time, only to be replaced with Orochimaru. This was Zabuza, her first true fear. And now it seemed he would kill her, just as he had done in her nightmares.She felt like a weakling. She wanted to run away, flee and never come back. But she knew what she had to do. She had to save her sensei. But how?

"Now," Zabuza said, raising his sword as high as he could, preparing to slash Kakashi in half. " This time, my revenge is complete. There is nothing you can d-."

_POW!!_

Sakura's right foot made rough contact with Zabuza's right cheek as he went sprawling off towards the wall. 'Got him.' Sakura thought as she straightened herself up on the ground.

In mid air, after the innitial shock of Sakura's attack, he started summersalting until his feet made contact with the wall. He then pushed his chakra to his feet and leapt off of it, targeting Sakura, whose back was turned.

"Sakura, behind you!" Kakashi yelled as Zabuza got closer.

Zabuza brought his sword down onto Sakura, closing the distance between the two. Kakashi merely shut his eyes in an attempt to shut everything out, awaiting Sakura's scream of pain. However, the scream never came.

Kakashi opened his eyes to find Sakura standing on the center of the enormous sword, the front end of it was embedded into the floor. Sakura smirked as she ran to the hilt of the sword and kicked Zabuza's chin.

His head flew back as Sakura dropped down to the floor and swung her right leg outward, taking Zabuza's leg out from under him. Zabuza landed with a thud on his back as Sakura stood herself back up.

Sakura ran over to Kakashi's water prison, and took out a kunai knife, intending to cut her sensei free. She lunged forward, kunai in hand, and swung her arm at the water prison. However, something violently gripped her wrist before she could make contact with the prison. She turned her head to see what was gripping her. She gasped when she saw Zabuza's bare hand holding her wrist.

'Wait, his bare hands!' She thought as she broke his grip and leapt back. 'Then that means that his sword is...' She turned his head and saw it, still embedded into the floor. A plan quickly began to form inside her head.

"Are you that afraid to fight my sensei?" Sakura asked mockingly.

Zabuza's eyes narrowed before he ran at her, fists raised. Sakura smirked as she ran at him too. She pushed her chakra into her feet as they got closer.

They were now 18 feet away.

10 feet.

5 feet.

With a yell, Zabuza thrust his fist out at Sakura, who leapt up and onto his back. She then leapt off of it with a kick and landed on the ground and started running. Zabuza turned towards Sakura, but not before she threw a kunai to her right as she went left.

Zabuza's eyes widened as he realized what she was doing. She was actually going for his legendary sword! She crouched down near it and violently yanked it up out of the ground.

"Look what I have." She said as she raised it up to her shoulders.

"How can you lift the sword?" Zabuza asked, "The sword is too heavy for a fragile little kunoichi to pick up." Sakura only smirked.

"I'm no ordinary kunoichi." She said, and then she ran at Zabuza with the sword outstretched, intending to scewer him with his own sword.

She thrusted it out at his chest, and Zabuza smirked.

He simply ducked out of the way and kicked the hilt of his sword out of Sakura's hands, sending it into the air and into his outstretched hand. With one flick of his hand, he slashed Sakura in half. Or, it would have cut her in half.

The Sakura kage bunshin disappeared immediately.

"What!?" Zabuza exclaimed as he jerked his head around in every direction. "Then where is..." He stopped when he saw her. She was cutting Kakashi's water prison open. "NOO!" He yelled as he sprinted towards Sakura. Within a single second, he was very close to Sakura.

Before she could even react or defend herself, Zabuza thrusted the hilt of his sword towards Sakura's head.

"You little wench!" He yelled as the hilt slammed into Sakura's head, sending her sailing into the wall. Her impact with the wall cracked it severely. Slowly, she fell to the ground unconcious, and so did some of the wall she had hit.

"NOW!" Zabuza yelled as he reversed the position of his sword, so now it was in a position to slice. By his tone of voice, Zabuza was extremely mad. "Now you die you little bitch!" He then charged at Sakura's unconcious body, fully intent on scewering her alive.

When he reached her body, he brought his sword down onto her frail body.

'_cling!'_

His sword was met by a single kunai knife, held by the famous Copy Ninja, Hatake Kakashi.

"You let your guard down Zabuza," Kakashi stated. He then pushed forward with his kunai, forcing Zabuza to step back, but neither of them broke their steel contact.

"How did you get out of the water prison?" Zabuza asked, his voice full of malice. "I didn't see any way for you to burst through."

"As soon as you hit Sakura, you failed to realize that her kunai was still in place. It was easy getting through that." Kakashi replied, pushing forward again. Zabuza pushed back, also.

"That jutsu the girl used, I believe it was the kage bunshin no jutsu. How was she able to preform it? It is a forbidden jutsu." Zabuza questioned as he struggled to keep Kakashi at bay.

"Naruto taught her. She's mediocre, worse than Riyu. He can make up to 12 clones. However, she can make only one other clone." Kakashi answered.

Zabuza couldn't handle the force of Kakashi and withdrew. He seperated the distance between Kakashi and himself by leaping back to the opposite side of the hallway. He let his sword hang by his side as he studied Kakashi like a book, not letting him out of his sight for even an instant, in fear that he would make a comeback like the last time they had fought.

"I thought you were saying that your revenge was complete Zabuza. But it looks like I'm still standing." Kakashi said with sarcasm present in his voice. This only caused Zabuza to growl a bit.

"Not for long Kakashi," Zabuza said in a matter-of-fact tone. "You and your brats are all going to die a slow and painful dea-what the hell?!" He suddenly yelled began to sense an enormous chakra spike. At first it came in low, but less than a second later, the spike had grown enormously. That meant that it wasn't just any chakra spike, it was an incredibley powerful amount of chakra.

It was so powerful that the entire temple began to shake, as if trembling in fear from the unknown, powerful chakra. The shattering was only getting worse and worse as bricks began to fall, walls were collapseing. Kakashi saw more rubble fall onto Sakura, just nearly getting to a point to where she would surely be crushed. An enourmous crack began to run through the floor, running all the way down the hallway.

Soon enough, the shockwaves receeded, but Kakashi and Zabuza both could still sense the incredible chakra.

'Whose chakra is that?' Zabuza thought, 'There's no way it can be Haku's. It's way too powerful to be his. This must be the chakra of one of the brats. But which one?'

Kakashi closed his eyes in thought. 'Hmm. It is definitely not Naruto's chakra, there's no sign of the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra. Then, there's only one explanation.' Kakashi's eyes widened in realization. 'It's Riyu! He's using the necklace!'

Kakashi took a deep breath before he spoke.

"This is not good!"

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(A/N) So, how was it. Was it good? It took me a while to write.

I kinda need your help. For the whole flashback thing, I need a favor. You see, I'm gonna need a lot of flashbacks, and I need nome ideas. I would greatly appreciate ideas from any of you. Think about it, this way, you get to influence some of this story.

Okay, I need to clarify something else now. In an earlier chapter, some of you caught that whole obortion thing involving Tsunade. I did that on purpose, and for my own reason. You see, me and a friend of mine got into this arguement about whether Tsunade was a cold, heartless bitch or not. I say she's not, and he says she is. So, half just to piss him off and half to prove my point, I put it in there. He got mad after I did that, and I just laughed at him when he got mad. You should see him when he gets mad.

Anyway, time to answer reviews. And boy, there are a lot of them. Well, here I go:

**Spartan117:** Wow, that really makes me want to write a whole lot more. Thank you for the review.

**BajaBlue:** Thanks, if you wait till this ones done, there will be a sequel to it.

**pyro-chan the dragon king:** Thanks. Don't worry, I promise that, when this temple thing is over, the mindless fluff will start rolling in.

**TheOtaku Akatsuki:** Thanks, I kinda had to stop. My mom was yelling at me to go to bed. I hope this chapter can tide you over.

**sa:** I did, thanks for the review.

**Dragon Man 180:** I think I kinda answered your question in this chapter. Thanks for the review.

**T.O.B:** Now you kinda know what the necklace does, but it does more. The necklace isn't responsible for the fusion. I'm really hoping you can join, and soon. Your stories actually sound good. And when I hear of a story that sounds good, I just gotta read it. I like the Avatar too. The only stories I read are NarutoHinata, those are the only good ones. So, did the e-mail thing work?

**Lyra the Sorceress of Scholars:** I can understand speculation. And I was just messing with you about the whole definites thing. Sorry if I offended you. As I said before, I like to mess with people by kidding around. I do that alot. And I know the fight was hopeless and depressing, adds reason to the necklace reacting the way it did. I'm still thinking about the beta tester thing. Right now, this girl I know asked if she could do it, so I'm giving her a shot. If she fails, you're in. Thanks for the grammar correction though.

**Light of the Demons:** No. You won't understand the title for a few more chapters, so be patient.

**thrice a Thrice fan:** You see, I answered your question in this chapter. I don't do alot of things for no reason. He's there for Zabuza. Thanks, Danny, for the review.

**s:** ?? This guy put "start." Start what. Can someone tell me what?

**almostinsane:** There you go, he's somewhat alright.

**xXnarutofan-22Xx:** Thank you very much!

There you go, I anwered all reviews. I feel very good right now.

Have any of you seen the new episodes of Naruto. I love the new openning theme song! It's awesome! Way better than the other openning song. Yay new Naruto episodes!!

Can anyone explain to me what exactly a C2 is? 2 people put me in one, and I don't know what the hell it is. Any information about this would be highly appreciated. Thank you

You all should know the drill by now.

5 updates or no update.

Peace!!


	9. Ch 8 Untapped Power

A/N) Okay, I'm back. I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. It's just that, well, alot of things have been happening. My dog recently died, I had to do this annoying paper for school, and I've been sick. I'm just now getting over it.

Hey, I don't want anybody thinking of Riyu as a Gary Stu. I decided long ago that everyone in this story will get their moment to shine. I decided to give Riyu his early. Trust me, he will get his ass kicked more times than you will be able to count. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. Also, with Riyu's use of the Byakkugan, there is a major drawback to using the necklace, which contains many spirits sealed away within it. So it's not really Riyu fighting; He's basically a puppet. There, now please don't stop reading.

In case some of you are wondering, here is the time that the story takes place. Not all things from the filler arcs happened. Mizuki never came back. Team 8 and Naruto went to find that bug that could bring Sasuke back. Kakashi hasn't gotten the advanced version of the sharingan yet.

If I can think of anything else according to the time line, I'll let ya'll know.

Thanks for all the reviews I got.

**Disclaimer:** Nope, still don't own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto won't sell it to me. I do own Riyu and Zulku, though.

I_ttalics: _sound effects

_'Ittalics': _thoughts

Okay, here you go. The latest chapter of Fusion.

* * *

**Chapter 8: Untapped Power**

"BYAKUGAN!!" Riyu yelled as the entire room began to pulsate before him. Riyu immediately shut his; slightly terrified by the way everything looked now. Slowly, he reopened his eyes. The sight was amazing.

He could see almost everything. Glancing over towards Haku, he could se his tenketsu almost perfectly. He could also see the needles in Haku's pouch, and a faint glow coming from his body. It didn't take Riyu long to realize that the glow was his chakra. Riyu's eyes then ventured towards Naruto.

It was a spectacular sight. He could see Naruto's original chakra, but that wasn't what had made Riyu look on in awe. It was the swirl of red chakra that danced gracefully on his belly. It appeared to dance around majestically. Riyu knew it was the seal used to seal away the Nine Tailed Fox, Naruto had shown him before. But this was different. The last time he had seen it, it was just a simple black swirl with four prongs on it. This was completely different.

_'So that's the seal_.' Riyu reasoned in his mind as he turned his attention back towards Haku. He hadn't moved a muscle since Riyu had activated the byakugan.

Riyu took a step forward, and Haku took a step back.

This only made Riyu smirk. "What's wrong Haku?" He asked in a deeper voice than normal. "You're not scared of me, are you?" He finished, taking yet another step.

Haku took another step back, eyes wide with terror. '_H-his chakra,'_ He thought. '_It's...inhuman. Is he a demon? No, there is no sign of any demonic chakra anywhere on his body. Then...what is he?'_

"Haku." Riyu said coldly as he raised his right hand up to his eyes and pointed at them, "With these eyes, I can see your fear, your worry, and even your demise." Riyu finished.

He let his eyes venture back over towards Naruto. Most of his wounds had healed already, but he still remained face down on the ground. The only signs of life were his body slowly moving up and down from breathing, and his fingers were twitching. '_Good, he seems to be regaining consiousness. He can help me soon.' _Riyu thought then something about Naruto caught his eye. _'I see,'_ He thought as he turned his attention back to his enemy.

:"Haku," Riyu said with a serious look on his face, "I'm giving you one chance, and one chance only. Give up now, while you still can." Haku only chuckled to himself, a faint smile spread across his face.

"Oh, how I wish I could Riyu. But you see, just as I told Naruto, I have no choice. I must fight until my opponent is dead. Or until I am no longer able to fight. So now-" Haku performed his trademark hand seals, "Now is when you die! Crystal Spike no Jutsu!!"

This time, thousands of spikes filled the mirrors, all aiming at Riyu and Naruto, and all having the intent to kill both of them.

"So you're not going to quit. I thought you had more sense than that. Fine, bring it on." Riyu said, unfazed by the imminent attack. He stood there with his arms folded across his chest, and a mocking smile on his lips.

"I'm sorry Riyu. But this is the way it has to be." Haku said reluctantly as he released the jutsu, sending the thousands of crystal spikes at Naruto and Riyu. Riyu only smirked some more, not even moving to defend himself from the spikes that were speeding towards his body.

_'He knows it is futile,' _Haku thought, _'To dodge my attack.'_

Every single spike hit their targets, slamming into the cold, hard ground. No trace of Riyu or Naruto could be seen. There wasn't even any screams of pain. Well, Haku reasoned, none he could hear.

"It's over," Haku said as he let his head drop. It was a bitter sweet moment for him.

'_whoosh!_'

"Ugh...what the hell?!" Haku wondered out loud as pain found its way to Haku's left arm. He quickly glanced down to find several kunai knives embedded into his arm. Crimson blood began to stream down from the wounds as Haku swiftly began to take them out. His own blood stained the knives. He threw them off to the side.

"How?" Haku tought out loud, "There is no one else in this wing of the temple."

"Over here!" Came a voice from behind Haku. Haku quickly turned around, and his eyes widened in shock. There, standing before him as if nothing had happened, stood Riyu with Naruto tucked away under his right arm. Not even a scratch was present on his body. "Nice try Haku, but you're just too slow. I can guarentee you that you will not be able to do that again." Riyu said, his smirk never leaving his face.

"How did you escape my attack? Especially with him in your arms?" Haku asked, pointing at Naruto, "My aim was perfect. There was no way that you should have been able to avoid the spikes." Haku was dumbfounded. He had not missed in a long while.

Riyu only chuckled.

"You see these eyes?" He asked, pointing at his byakugan eyes. "These little things allow me to see alot more than you can. They allowed me to analyze the speed and trajectery of those spikes you shot at me. I also used my speed to avoid each and every spike by pushing my chakra into my legs. It wasn't that dificult to pick Naruto up in the process." He finished by dropping Naruto to the ground, who landed with a small thud. As soon as Naruto's body made contact with the ground, Riyu vanished.

Scared, Haku slung his head in every direction, trying to find the any trace of the brunette shinobi.

"Over here!" Came a voice from Haku's left. But when he looked over, nothing was there.

"No, over here!" This time, it was from his right. Haku looked over to the right, but again, nothing was there.

"Up here!" Came the voice from above Haku. He looked up quickly, but nothing was there.

_'BAM!!'_

Riyu's foot connected with the bottom of Haku's chin, sending spiraling into the air. It also left Haku in shock.

_'BAM!!' _

Another blow, this time from up above. Riyu had slammed his fist down onto the top of Haku's head violently, sending his shooting down towards the ground.

_'POW!!'_

A split second before Haku hit the ground; Riyu's leg had slammed into him, sending him straight at one of his crystal ice mirrors. The mirror shattered instantly as Haku sailed through it and into the enormous pile of sand. Haku silently, but wearily, pushed himself up out of the sand and back onto the stone floor. Haku had blood streaming down his face and out of his mouth. His right eye remained shut due to the beating he had received, and because the sand had rushed into his eye.

_'How?'_ Haku thought as he looked over at Riyu, who just remained still, staring at him. _'There is no way that he could move like that.'_ He took in a deep breath, _'It was nothing but a fluke. He will not be able to do that again.'_

"Are you ready for more?" Riyu asked sarcastically, remaining motionless.

"Of course I am you fool!" Haku yelled at Riyu. His anger at the boy was blinding him. Quickly, Haku was close to Riyu. He swiftly brought his arm back for a punch. This only made Riyu sigh.

Haku threw his fist at Riyu.

_'POW!!'_

Riyu's fist made an echoing connection with the side of Haku's face, sending him sprawling into another mirror. This mirror shattered, also, as Haku sailed through it and landed ten meters away from Riyu. Haku quickly rose up to his feet. His body was trembling somewhat, his cheek was bruised, and his entire head hurt severely. Putting all that aside, Haku began to study Riyu, who was only remaining where he stood, that stupid mocking smile still on his lips.

_'So, it's not ninjutsu or genjutsu. It's all taijutsu. I was too busy in looking for tricks of any kind. Now that I know what I'm up against, if I can remain calm, I'm sure I can win this match. Now I am ready.'_ Haku thought as he tried to calm himself down.

Riyu widened his grin and disappeared again. This time, though, Haku was ready. He calmed himself and focused. Soon, Riyu came into view. He was charging at Haku at full speed. He suddenly jumped into the air and outstretched his right leg out in front of him, intending to slam it squarly into Haku's chest.

_'Not this time,'_ Haku thought as Riyu's foot rapidly approached his chest. He needed to wait for the brief window of opportunity in order to stop Riyu's attack. Riyu got closer. _'NOW!'_

Haku swiftly outstretched his arms and caught Riyu's foot, firmly, in mid-air, which left Riyu in a small state of shock. In a split second, Haku twisted Riyu's foot roughly. As Haku did this, Riyu was hit with an idea.

Ignoring the pain, Riyu leaned up and over and began jabbing his fingers violently into Haku's arms. Haku saw this and immediately shoved Riyu away from him. Riyu back flipped in the air and then landed with a soft thud on both of his feet inside Haku's mirror arena. He apparently didn't feel the pain anymore from when Haku had twisted his foot. Haku saw his chance and brought his hands up into his favorite seal.

"This is where it ends for you," Haku said. "Crystal Ice Spike no Jutsu!" Nothing happened. "What? What happened?" Haku asked, confused in every way imaginable. Haku looked over at Riyu and saw that he had started laughing. Laughing at him! "What is so funny?" He asked.

"You are, Haku. You are no threat to anyone anymore." Riyu stated, his smirk never leaving his face.

"Why is that?" Haku asked.

"Do you know about the byakugan, and what it can allow you to do?" Riyu asked, obviously ignoring Haku's question.

"I only know little about it. I do know that only Hyuga can use it, and you aren't Hyuga. I also know that the byakugan can see the chakra coils in someone's body." Haku said.

"Well, you are right, I'm not a Hyuga. The byakugan does allow me to see your chakra coils, but it also lets me see something else. As you should know, in the human body, there are 64 microscopic tenketsu, or chakra nodes, that regulate the flow of chakra," Riyu said, pointing up towards his byakugan eyes again. " Only the byakugan can see these tenketsu."

Realization his Haku. "You don't mean...you-"

"That's right," Riyu said, cutting Haku off. "I've closed the tenketsu in your arms. It is true that there are others in your body, and I can see that your tenketsu are slowly opening back up, but I still have the advantage." Riyu only guessed that the reason Haku's tenketsu were slowly opening themselves back up was because he was dead, and his body didn't have the limitations of a normal body.

_'Oh well, it really doesn't matter anyway,' _Riyu thoght_ 'the plan will be put into place soon enough.'_

Haku was still a bit surprised by what Riyu had said. "I don't understand," Haku said, "How can someone close so many tenketsu in such little-"

Again, Riyu cut him off. "That doesn't matter anymore. All that matters is your imminent defeat."

"What are you?" Haku said in a terrified tone. He had every right to be scared, Riyu was showing power way beyond he had ever imagined.

Riyu shrugged. "I'm only human," He paused, and his grin lessened. "It will all be over soon." He finished as he vanished once again.

* * *

"What is not good, Kakashi?" Zabuza asked. It was a little strange to him, Kakashi seemed extremely worried about something.

"Zabuza, have you ever heard of the Uzuka Necklace?" Kakashi asked, still staring down the hall.

"Eh? _The_ infamous Uzuka Necklace? Of course I know of it." Zabuza said. He wasn't really following what Kakashi was trying to say.

"One of my students is in posession of it," Kakashi said .

"What? How? Only Uzuka can wear it. It is their precious heirloom." Zabuza said.

"The one using it at this very moment knows nothing of the Uzuka family and their ways, nor does he know much about the necklace he wears around his neck," Kakashi stated, "The only thing he knows is that it was his fathers. He has had no contact with anyone named Uzuka in his entire life. His name is Uzuka Riyu." Kakashi finished, pride evident in his voice.

Zabuza snorted and readied his sword once again. "It makes no difference whether or not he was raised by them or not. His fate was sealed at birth. He is and will forever be an Uzuka. There is nothing you can do to stop him from becoming exactly like his ancestors. It's going to happen, whether you like it or not.." Kakashi glared at Zabuza behind his mask. Then, Zabuza charged at him.

"We'll see about that," Kakashi said as he, too, rushed at Zabuza with the kunai in his hands.

They got closer, neither one was willing to back down this time. They both thrusted their blades at each other. One blade made contact with the other person's flesh.

Zabuza's mighty blade pierced Kakashi's chest fiercely. The kunai fell quickly from his limp hands. The only thing that held him up was the blade running through his chest.

"I win, I actually won. I finally killed the Copy Cat ninja, Kakashi!" Zabuza said as excitement and joy overcame him.

However, his celebrating was cut short at what he saw next. Kakashi's head slowly and weakly rose to meet Zabuza's eyes. "Not...quite," Kakashi said, never breaking eye contact with the dead shinobi.

This only angered Zabuza. There was no way that Kakashi could be immortal. There was no way. And yet, even though his sword had pierced his heart, he was still alive. Zabuza tensed up more as he shoved the sword in more.

"What? Why won't you die?" Zabuza questioned Kakashi. Kakashi merely waved at Zabuza. And then the Kakashi kage bunshin disappeared. Zabuza gasped in shock.

"Damn it! Where did he go? Where the hell is-" He was cut short by a searing pain on the top of his head.

Kakashi dropped down from the ceiling with a chidori in his hand, and had slammed it down into Zabuza's head. Lightning surged thorough Zabuza's entire body as he felt it go numb. With the force of Kakashi's blow, Zabuza could feel his hair falling out of his head, his legs beginning to snap, and his nerves beginning to fail him.

Finally, his legs gave way and his chin slammed into the ground with such a force that it echoed throuought the hall. Kakashi quickly straightened himself and pulled out half a dozen shuriken, and lunged them into Zabuza's flesh: one in each arm, and two in each leg. In addition to being paralyzed from the head down due to Kakashi's chidori, Zabuza now found himself pinned to the ground, his arms and legs now even more useless than before. Zabuza cursed under his breath, realizing he had lost. He rolled over to his back, consequently driving the small shuriken deeper into his flesh, which caused more and more blood to seep out of his wounds.

"Now, Zabuza, it is over. Your ambitions to destroy me will never be fulfilled," Kakashi said as he crouched down next to Zabuza. He pulled hit hitai-ate back over his left eye and resumed looking at him.

"How...how did you do that?" Zabuza asked.

"It was simple. When we both felt the massive chakra spike and you were distracted for a split second, I replaced myself with a kage bunshin," Kakashi siad. "I then hid myself on the ceiling and gathered energy for a chidori. Once the bunshin was destroyed, I dropped down for my attack. You were too distracted by rage to notice what I had done." Kakashi finished, and Zabuza chuckled.

"Well played, Kakashi. Now all you can hope is that your other two brats can defeat Haku," He said.

"Oh, I believe they're more than a match for that boy," Kakashi paused for a second, "By the way Zabuza, I'm curious. What are the challenges that await us further up the tower?"

Zabuza seemed to consider him for a few seconds. "I'm not sure. You see, I have never been up to the second floor. I'm just a first floor guardian. I'm not allowed, nor is it possible for me, to reach the second floor. But I believe that there are more traps and enemies far more powerful than I, You better stay alert and aware, or else you and those brats of yours will die."

"Thank you Zabuza," Kakashi said as he stood up.

"Kakashi, if you do manage to find the treasure, my soul and Haku's soul shall be free. We will be accepted to eternal peace. Please don't mess up." Zabuza said, staring up at the ceiling, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"I see. I'll do my best Zabuza," Kakashi said. He then walked over to Sakura and bent down and checked her pulse. It was beating strong, so he figured she would wake up shortly. Kakashi sighed in relief as he picked her up and put her on his back, piggy back style. He turned his head back towards Zabuza.

"Farewell Zabuza. I'll see you later," He said.

"You too Kakashi," Zabuza responded. "If you're lucky, it will be much much later."

Kakashi nodded and started walking towards the main room. '_Alot more powerful enemies, eh?_' He thought as he came up to the room and saw the stairs. At a non-rushed pace, he made his way to the stairs and immediately began climbing them. '_I'm in trouble without Naruto and Riyu. I'm going to need their help. I just hope they're all right.'_ With that final thought, he entered the second floor.

* * *

The fear of not knowing where you enemy is, the fear of oncoming pain, and the fear of defeat. All of these fears made Haku uneasy as Riyu vanished once again. Haku tried to remain calm and relax in order to follow Riyu's movements with his eyes once more, but his fear distracted him too much. So, he did the only thing he could do. He put his arms defensively across his chest and lowered his head in an attempt to defend himself.

It proved futile.

As soon as his arms were up, they were flung to their sides. More swift jabs and bursts of pain flooded Haku's body. The jabs began jerking his body backwards repeatedly. Suddenly, the jabs stopped, although the pain was still present.

Haku glanced forward and saw Riyu standing there, smirking that smirked that pissed Haku off. Haku glared at the red shinobi. "What's wrong? Why did you stop your attack?" Haku asked.

"What, you wanted me to keep attacking you?" Riyu asked sarcastically. "There is no more need to do so Haku. I closed all 361 of your tenketsu. You wouldn't even be a threat to a kitten right now, you son of a bitch."

"Then why don't you finish me off?" Haku asked.

"It's because of the fact that you're already dead. You're tenketsu will come back really soon, and you'll be able to use you're jutsus again. I don't have time to charge up an attack, because you will have had enough time to gain the use of most of your tenketsu, and will be able kill me with my defense down." Riyu said.

"Hmm, that's impressive thinking. Previously, I didn't know you could be capable of such thought." Haku commented. However, Riyu didn't know if he should take what he had said as a compliment or an insult.

"Well, I didn't know I knew this either. It feels like I'm reading it out of a book or something. I'm guessing it has to do with the byakugan or something, I don't even feel like myself." Riyu said, then he took the necklace in his hand and raised it up to his face. "I feel as if there is so much untapped power in this necklace, just waiting to be used. And I don't even know how to use it." He finished, dropping the necklace back into place and looking back at Haku once again.

Something wasn't right to Haku. Riyu was getting off topic, just rambling on about his necklace. It seemed that Riyu was trying to buy time or something.

Riyu suddenly straightened his right arm down, as if on cue, and began drawing chakra down towards his hand.

"I know it may be useless to do this, but I just have to hit something." Riyu said. Haku could sense that Riyu was drawing chakra from the necklace that dangled down from his neck, and was sending down into his arm. But Haku could feel his own power coming back to him. Riyu was right, Haku's tenketsu were reopening, and he was going to strike before Riyu could.

Suddenly, flames erupted out of Riyu's hand. He clenched it into a fist, making his entire hand seem similar to a fire ball. The flames knicked his elbow and his clothes as he tried to keep the flames in check.

Haku could feel the energy coming back to him. Well, enough energy to use his jutsu again. He readied his hand seal once more, trying to draw out as much chakra as he could before Riyu could use his attack. Soon enough, he felt the chakra ready to be used. He looked up at Riyu, who was still trying to control the flame on his fist.

"Riyu, you made a mistake when you attempted to use your Sentou no Kaji, now you are finished," Haku said. However, this didn't make Riyu angry. Instead, he smirked.

"Or was it?" He asked, his eyes glancing back behind Haku. However, Haku failed to realize what Riyu was staring at.

"I don't care anymore. I just want you to die!" Haku said, "This is it! Crystal Ice no-" He was cut off by Riyu.

"NOW!!" Riyu yelled at, seemingly at no one.

"What?" Haku questioned. Then, suddenly...

"RASENGAN!!" Came a yell from behind Haku, and then a searing pain that spread throughout his entire body.

Naruto had come out of nowhere and struck Haku on his left shoulder blade with a rasengan. Naruto's rasengan pierced Haku's flesh and bone, sending Naruto's hand straight through Haku's body. Then, Riyu lunged at Haku with his own attack.

"SENTOU NO KAJI!!" He yelled as he thrusted his fist of fire at Haku's right shoulder, burning his flesh as it pierced through and penetrated the back of his right shoulder blade. Now, not only were Haku's arms utterly useless, but the fire and the rasengan had been messing with his insides too. Naruto and Riyu withdrew their arms, and then Haku fell to the ground, blood streaming rapidly out of the gaping holes in his body. He attempted to move his arms, but nothing happened.

Naruto and Riyu leapt away from Haku and landed, side by side, a few feet away from Haku. They then high-fived each other.

"H-h-h...how did you do that?" Haku tried to ask. It was a little difficult because of the blood flowing out of his mouth. "Naruto, you were lying on the ground unconscious just moments ago." He finished, turning his head over to see Naruto lying on the ground. But, looking the other way, Naruto and Riyu were both standing there. Haku looked at the Naruto standing again.

"Well, we tricked you Haku," Naruto said with his grin on his face. Naruto looked back over at Riyu and saw the byakugan just before it vanished. Naruto wanted to ask Riyu about it, but decided to wait and answer Haku's question. "Here's how: first, after you attack me and I used my kage bunshins to escape, I used one to remain where it was while I went into the shadows to charge up a rasengan, while you believed it was me lying down on the ground unconscious."

"And," Riyu continued, "I didn't realize he had done this until after I had activated the byakugan and picked his kagebun shin. Then I looked around for the real Naruto. Then I saw Naruto in the shadows and immediately tried to buy him some time until he could use his attack. We got you good Haku." Riyu finished. Riyu and Naruto then sat down; both exhausted, and then started laughing.

Haku let his head drop back and chuckled to himself. '_They worked with perfect teamwork even though each of them had made no contact. Zabuza and I might just get out of here after all.'_ He thought as he watched the two friends laugh.

* * *

The target was in the tree, completely unaware of any danger. The hunters made their way silently to the tree. They got closer and closer, until they were at the trunk of the tree. The target was still, unaware of the hunters. That was, until...

'_BARK, BARK, BARK!!'_

Akamaru jumped off of Kiba's head and attempted to climb up the tree in order to attack the black kitten that sat on a big branch. Almost a year ago, when Akamaru had started growing, Kiba's mom had given Kiba some medicine that would stop the dog from growing.

"Akamaru, get down." Kiba ordered as he attempted to grab Akamaru. "Bad dog, get back down here." Akamaru ignored him, and was just out of his grasp. Akamaru continued to climb up to the cat, which was beginning to get frightened.

"I don't think it's working Kiba," Shino commented unemotionally.

The cat was now freaking out as Akamaru got closer.

"K-kiba-kun," Hinata said, "W-w-we have t-to do s-something. The c-cat w-w-will fall and then r-run away a-again." Her stutter had slightly lessened, but not by much since Naruto had been back. She had let her hair grow slightly, so now it barely nipped the bottom of her neck.

"Yeah, I know." Kiba replied grumpily as he jumped into the tree. Immediately after he landed on the same branch as the cat, the cat panicked and jumped.

All three genin gasped as the cat fell out of the tree. Hinata instinctively threw out her arms to catch the kitten. It landed smoothly in her arms. Hinata held it delicately as it sniffed the unfamiliar scent that was Hinata. Realizing Hinata wasn't a threat, it nestled itself in her arms and cuddled up to her chest. It soon began to purr.

She smiled down at the cat before looking back at Kiba.

"M-mission accomplished." She said with a smile on her face.

* * *

"Thank you Gondaime-sama," Kurunai said as she took the money from Tsunade. Hinata, Shino, and Kiba all stood behind her.

"Now all we need it Team Kakashi to report back." Tsunade said, sighing at the paper at her desk.

"What?" Kurunai asked in disbelief. "They still haven't reported back yet? You gave them the mission at 7:00 in the morning. It's now 8:00 in the evening."

"Yes, well, I hope for an excellent reason for the mission taking this long." Tsunade said.

"Ano...what mission, Gondaime-sama?" Hinata asked from behind Kurunai. She was in love with a shinobi that was in Kakashi's team, she had a right to ask and be worried.

Tsunade looked at her and smiled. "Don't worry, it was just an investigation mission of mine shaft 13." Tsunade knew about her crush on Naruto. Practically everyone did know about it except for the crush himself.

"Thank you, G-Gondaime-sama." Hinata said shyly.

"Allright then, you're dismissed." She said. Her company bowed to her before leaving her office. Once she was sure they were gone, she looked down at the paper on her desk and sighed. She folded her arms onto the desk and put her head down.

"Now," She said, "Where was I?"

* * *

"All right team," Kurunai said as soon as they all were outside of the Hokage tower. "You have the rest of the day off. Dismissed." She said sweetly before walking away.

"Well,Akamaru and I are heading home. Right Akamaru?" Kiba asked his dog that was riding on the top of his head. Akamaru barked happily in agreement.

"I'm heading home as well." Shino said. He turned to Hinata, who seemed to be lost in a daydream, looking up at the clouds in the sky.

She could have sworn that the cloud she was looking at looked exactly like Naruto. The face, the neck, the smile, the...

"Hinata-chan, what are you going to do?" Shino asked her, snapping her out of her daydream.

"Oh...ano...I th-think I'll t-take a w-walk." She replied with a smile, glancing at both of her teammates.

"Then I bid you farewell, Hinata-chan." Shino said. He bowed slightly to Hinata, and walked away, leaving only Kiba and Hinata standing outside the tower in an awkward silence.

"Yeah...I'll see you later Hinata-chan." Kiba said with a slight touch of pink on his cheeks. He quickly turned and left before Hinata could see his blush.

'_Mine shaft 13, huh?'_ Hinata thought as turned around and began walking in the direction of the mine shaft.

After a few minutes of walking, she arrived at the entrance of a mine shaft with a big "13" sign hanging from the entrance. Next to the entrance of the shaft was another sign that said "Keep Out."

The entrance to the mine shaft was just a square hole in the hill. Next to the entrance was a small patch of smooth grass. Hinata decided to sit down there and wait for Naruto and the others to come out. She hadn't an idea what she would do after that, but she wanted to see Naruto again. She started watching the clouds again.

"I-I hope that N-N-Naruto-kun is alright i-in there," Hinata said to herself as she adjusted her position on the patch of grass. She leaned her back to the wall, and soon fell asleep, dreaming of Naruto.

* * *

(A/N) Phew, That was a lot of typing I just did. I'm tired.

Again, I'm sorry for taking so long to update. It's just that a lot happened. I'm still getting over my dog's death. She was a good part of my life for 15 years. She was the best dog ever.

Okay, I'm going to answer the reviews now:

**Lyra the Sorceress of Scholars:** I'm sorry I made you mad/confused. But, like I've said before, you must be patient. You see, Naruto did have a perfect plan. And Riyu is not a Gary Stu, it was mainly the necklace that let him use the byakugan, but I can redeem him from that awful title if you just have a little patience. He does see Sasuke as a rival/brother, he's just not there and Team Kakashi is on a mission, and you know that Naruto focuses almost completely on the mission. Please don't stop reading and reviewing, you're one of my favorite reviewers.

**almostinsane:** I'm glad you feel that way. With you're review, I feel a whole lot better. God bless you too. You are one of my favorite reviewers

**badlevel50percent:** Thanks, I do the best I can, and it really makes me feel good when you say that about this story. Thanks again, you are one of my favorite reviewers.

**pyro-chan the dragon king: **Put the stick down and I'll make you a deal. If you don't burn me alive, then, in a few chapters, I'll put a lot of fluff in there. Deal? You're one of my favorite reviewers, even if you threaten to burn me alive.

**kingdom219:** Remember, patience. The necklace will be explained in due time. Just use your imagination in trying to find out what it can do.

**Light of the Demons:** I torture you because I like to. (Laughs moniachally) Making you guess is only part of the fun. Heck, I still can't figure out why Christopher Paoloni called his second book "Eldest." You're one of my favorite reviewers, even if you do put it in the corner.

**Subtle Sound of Serenity:** Well, Haku can't die a second time, but he can sure as hell get his ass kicked all over the room. Sorry if he didn't die or reconsider his following Zabuza thing. I kinda feel sorry for Haku. I do think that he is gay though, hence the tears all the time. I even thought he was a girl when I first saw him in the anime and manga.

**Dragon Man 180: **Yeah, it was pretty sweet about Sakura and Zabuza flying like that. Riyu is going something, but I'm not telling what it is exactly. Everything will be explained in due time. You are one of my favorite reviewers.

If I said that you are one of my favorite reviewers, then you have reviewed for almost every chapter, or you've given me more than 5 reviews. I like all of you, but I'm very familiar with the others.

Hey, I still need ideas from you guys. I need your ideas for the flashbacks. I will give you special thanks if any of you can come up with any ideas. I don't care if you don't think your idea is that good. I'll give it a chance, and will more than likely use it. Please give me some ideas. I'm desperate. I swear, if you come up with it, there is a really good chance you will get it on this fic.

Oh yeah, I've got a question for you. No, it's not a question about something I need to know in order to work on the story. It's just a friendly question for you guys about the story. I want to see what you can think of. Here is the question:

What do you think the necklace can do?

Also, if you could, please don't put any flames in your reviews. With my dog dying recently, I'm not in the greatest mood for bad reviews. I can promise you that, if you give me any flames, I will explode at you with my reply. I'm still a little sad.

Here's a poll for you all. I need to shut my friend up once and for all. Do you all think that Tsunade is a cold, heartless bitch or not. Put your answer in your review and I'll get the results back to you.

(edit) Okay, people please keep reading. I know, Riyu sounds like a Gary Stuu right now, but that is not the case. Notice, and I tried to portray this aw well as I could, that Riyu is not acting like himself. Now, as mentioned up there, He is being used as a puppet, and one of the souls trapped inside the necklace is a Hyuuga. Riyu was nearly dead, and so he decided to take over. There, now please stop bothering me about this.

I'm really excited. The Nintendo Wii just came out. I'm a huge Nintendo fan. Nintendo forever!!

You know the drill.

5 reviews or no update.


	10. Ch 9 Death Traps

(A/N) I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a while. That pesky little thing called life keeps thwarting me from updating. It also doesn't help that finals are coming up and I've been studying for them.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. According to my parents, I don't own anything until I am 18. I do, however, own Riyu and Zulku, no matter what anyone says.

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**Chapter 9 Death Traps**

"Ah-achoo!" Naruto sneezed violently, causing to fall onto his bottom. Riyu stopped celebrating and looked down at Naruto, trying his best to grin sincerely down at him. Ever since the fight with Haku had ended, a massive headache had been present.

"You do know that when you sneeze, it means someone is talking about you?" Riyu asked almost sincerely. He had a pretty good idea who it was that was talking about him. Who else had almost nothing other than Naruto on her mind than Hinata. It was common knowledge that Hinata had a major crush on Naruto. That's why Riyu had started the bet in the first place.

Naruto raised himself to his feet. "Yeah, I know," he said rubbing his bottom.

Riyu and Naruto looked back at the still form of Haku. He haden't moved an inch since he was defeated. Naruto and Riyu exchanged looks before walking over towards Haku. His clothes were stained with blood from Riyu and Naruto's respective attacks. When the boys reached Haku, Naruto crouched down beside him and Riyu just stood there, looking down at Haku.

"Sorry," Naruto apologized, rubbing the back of his head nervously, "I guess we kinda overdid it a little, huh?"

Haku looked at him and closed his eyes and shook his head with a smile on his face. "No, you did great," He said," Now, since both of you have defeated me in combat, you may move on to the next floor."

Riyu gave Haku a puzzled look. "What? That's it?" He asked.

Haku grinned at Riyu. "Yes, that's it." Haku's expression went serious. "Now, both of you, listen well. I'm not exactly sure what they are, but I believe that there are more challenges up ahead, maybe more dificult than fighting me."

"Aw crap." Riyu said to himself, dropping his head.

Haku smiled at Riyu one last time and then turned to Naruto. "Naruto, I have something for you. If you would, please reach into my right pouch and remove its contents." Naruto obeyed. He pulled out a couple dozen of Haku's needles.

"What are these for?" Naruto asked.

"Let's just call it a gift. You may need them sometime in the future. I have no more need for them anymore anyway." Haku said. Naruto nodded and stuck the needles in his own pouch. "Now go, boys. And don't get yourseves killed. Now, get going." Haku finished, closing his eyes for a much deserved sleep.

"All right!" Naruto yelled, pumping his fist into the air. "Let's go Riyu!" Naruto sprinted all the way to the bottom of the stairs. When Naruto reached the bottom of the stairs, he beckoned for Riyu to come. Riyu shrugged and walked over.

Soon he joined Naruto and they both walked up the stairs until they were finally gone from the first floor, and to the second floor.

Haku weakly opened one eye to find that the boys had already gone up the stairs. "Heh, maybe they will find the treasure after all." Haku said to himself. He then closed his eyes and fell asleep.

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"This temple gets more interesting by the second," Kakashi thought outloud as he entered the second floor with a still unconcious Sakura on his back.

He examined the stone room he was in. It wasn't as big as the previous room, and it wasn't that wide either. It was just a stone, square room with candles hanging from the ceiling. The candles ran all the way down the hallway in front of Kakashi. The hallway led east, in the direction of his male pupils.

At the entrance to the hallway were two very different statues. The statue on the left was that of a fox, but not just any fox. It was the fearsome Nine-Tailed Fox. Behind the statue was a statue of an eight-tailed fox, and behind that one was a seven-tailed fox, and so on, all the way to a one-tailed fox.

On the right side, however, was a statue of what appeared to be an older Naruto. But Kakashi knew better, he knew what his former sensei looked like compared to Naruto. The statue was of the Fourth Hokage. Behind him were a great diversity of unknown shinobi.

Kakashi stared at the statue of his former sensei. '_How interesting. It would appear that I am in for a rough journey.'_ Kakashi thought. He felt Sakura slightly slip from his back, so he adjusted her weight again. With that, Kakashi started down the hallway.

It wasn't a minute before he barely spotted the first trap. Spikes pointed from every direction: on the wall, floor, and the ceiling.

'_Hmm...'_ Kakashi thought, bending down to survey the spikes. '_It seems as if the spikes are tipped with an extremely lethal poison. This appears to be a test of your courage, as well as your chakra control. This will be difficult, considering the extra weight I'm carrying.'_ Kakashi gently lowered Sakura to the ground and put his hands into a single seal, gathering as much chakra as he could to his feet. He didn't have that much chakra to spare, since fighting Zabuza took so much out of him. He had to use his sharingan eye, as well as a chidori. He would be lucky if he could get across this spike field.

Kakashi picked Sakura up bridal style so as not to risk her getting stabbed from above by a spike. He slowly, but steadily, lifted his left foot and brought it gently down onto a set of spikes. It landed slightly above the spikes, but no contact was made with the spikes. So far, so good, but he knew he wasn't out of the woods yet. He lifted his other foot and gently brought it down, it too not touching a single spike. Realizing he was safe, he started walking down the hall of spikes.

Eventually, the spikes began to get closer and closer, so that now there was little room to move his arms. His elbows barely missed the spikes on the walls, since he was holding Sakura. He also began to feel weaker and weaker. He surmised that there was something in the spikes that drained chakra. This was just icing on the cake, a cake Kakashi didn't want in the slightest.

Kakashi felt the chakra exhaustion beginning to set in. He found himself struggling to breath and remain consious. Finally, he saw the end of the spikes, but he didn't know if he had the strength to make it. He had to make it. His job was not done, and he intended to complete the mission.

Finally, he made it to the end. And just in time too. Any longer, and he felt he surely would have died. He quickly lowered himself to the ground and sat Sakura down against a wall. He then took a seat himself on the opposite wall and decided to wait for Sakura to wake up. He also needed this time to recover. He used almost all of his remaining chakra to cross the spike pit.

Kakashi sighed. "All I can hope for is that Riyu and Naruto are alive and well. I don't think that the two of them have the brain power to get through this temple."

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"Achoo!" Both Naruto and Riyu sneezed simultaniously as they continued down the hallway. It was completely identical to Kakashi's hallway in every way, even the statues were the same. Same walls, same stone room, and that means the same traps. They just didn't know it yet.

They had both just entered the hallway through the room, and already both of them had a bad feeling.

"Oh come on!" Naruto complained after the sneeze, "Is there anyone that doesn't talk about us?" The word "us" echoed throughout the long hallway.

"Apparently not," Riyu replied, trying to surpress a yawn, "By the way, I can't help shaking the feeling that the statue of the Fourth reminds me of somebody."

Naruto closed his eyes in thought. Did the fourth remind him of anybody? People like Ero-sennin and Kakashi-sensei would sometimes compare him to Naruto sometimes. But did that mean anything? Naruto decided to just give an answer. "Hmm...I can't think of anybody. Why?"

"Well, if you squint really hard, he kinda looks like you." Riyu said. He had looked up to the Fourth Hokage, even though he was dead, for quite some time. But his past was a mystery. On more than one occassion, Riyu had asked Kakashi all sorts of quetions, but Kakashi didn't know much about him either.

"Anywho," Naruto said, "Didn't Haku say something about more dangers up ahead or something?" In answer to Naruto's question, spikes appeared on the floor, walls, and the ceiling. The spikes ran all the way down the hallway into total darkness. Naruto and Riyu exchanged awed glances.

Naruto got as close as he could to the spikes and squinted down the hall. "How far do you think it goes?" He asked.

"...I dunno. I think the question is, how do we get across?" Riyu answered.

Naruto was hit by an idea. "Riyu, maybe we could jump across the spikes," He said.

Riyu rolled his eyes at his friends suggestion. "Uhh...Naruto, I don't think those spikes would let you jump," Riyu said, pointing at the spikes on the ceiling. Naruto looked where Riyu was pointing.

A mental image of Naruto jumping and getting stabbed in the head and dying. His face went pale. '_Okay,...time for plan B,'_ Naruto thought.

Both of the boys pondered their dilema for a few minutes, until Naruto was hit with another idea.

"I got it!" Naruto yelled. He had come up with the perfect plan.

"Okay, what is it this time?" Riyu asked sarcastically. He was anticipating another plan like the jumping plan.

"We'll channel our chakra to our feet and walk across the spikes," Naruto said.

"..." Riyu thought about it for a moment, and then looked up at Naruto and smiled. "That's not a bad idea Naruto. But I've had a massive headache ever since the fight with Haku. I'm not sure I could keep my chakra under control for that long," Riyu admitted. It was true. Ever since he had used the necklace, his head had felt like it had been slammed into the concrete ground.

"Well, if you don't want to, I guess you could stay back and-" Naruto said.

"Hey, I never said I couldn't do it. I just said my head hurts. I can do it!" Riyu whined.

Naruto looked at his friend. He decided that, if Riyu was up to it, he couldn't turn him down. Nodding to Riyu, they both brought their hands into a seal. And soon, their feet were encased in blue chakra. They looked at each other.

"Soooo...Who's going first?" Naruto asked worridly. He didn't want to be the first to die if his plan failed.

Riyu looked at him and sighed. "I guess I will," Riyu said with no enthusiasm at all in his voice. He approached the spikes, reluctantly brought his leg up, and carefully placed it on the spikes. Riyu glanced down and sighed in relief. No spikes were penetrating his flesh. '_Thank the Gods.'_ Riyu thought in relief. Little did he know, that was exactly what Naruto was thinking.

"Phew, what a relief. I thought for sure it wasn't going to work," Naruto said with a slight nervous chuckle.

Riyu whipped around to stare at his orange friend. "What do you mean you thought it wasn't gonna work? You made me be the guinnea pig, and you thought I was gonna die?"

Riyu yelled.

"Uhh...No." Naruto said. He stepped up to the spikes and they both started walking down the hallway. Riyu glared at the back of Naruto's head for a few minutes.

Soon, the hall got smaller, and the spikes got longer. And both of them felt like they were being drained of chakra. They struggled to keep their chakra at their feet. Finally, the end came, and they greatfully got off of the spiked hallway and onto the cold, hard ground.

"We made it!" Naruto said, sighing in relief.

"Yeah, and without anyone dying." Riyu said, starting down the hall.

"What, are you still mad that I made you test out the spikes?" Naruto asked as he followed his friend. Oh well, Riyu would get over it. He always did.

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Sakura could feel herself bobbing slightly as she came to. She slowly opened her eyes. Soon, her vision was clear and she remembered where she was. She glanced forward to see her sensei sitting across from her..

"Ugh. Kaka...Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said faintly.

Kakashi stopped. "Sakura, so you are feeling better?" Kakashi asked. She nodded, so he continued. "Good. Do you think you can stand?" He asked.

"Yeah, I think so," She replied. She stood to see if she could stand. She was steady, so she assumed she would be fine from this point. Kakashi stood to join her. Then they started walking down the hall. "Kakashi-sensei, what happened in the fight?" She asked.

"Well, because of you, I was able to defeat Zabuza. Now, if I'm not mistaken, I believe wer are making our way to the Tower of Destiny." Kakashi said, grinning behind his mask.

Sakura smiled too. She couldn't help but be glad. Kakashi had said that it was because of _her_ that he was able to beat Zabuza. She felt that she wasn't the fragile little Sakura she used to be. She was a strong medical ninja, apprentice to the legendary Tsunade. Suddenly full of determination, she immitated Naruto and pointed forward.

"Let's go!" She yelled.

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "All right, but you had better not yell like that again. You may wake the bats." He said teasingly.

Sakura froze. "B-bats?" She asked to no one in particular. She turned to her sensei. "Sorry sensei." Then she began to look in every direction, searching for any signs of bats.

"Relax Sakura, I was only kidding," Kakashi scolded playfully. He resumed his trek down the hallway.

"Uhh...right. I knew that," Sakura said, and then hurried agter her sensei.

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"Jump to the left!" Naruto yelled as yet another pendulam swung down from the ceiling and at the boys. Riyu did what he was told, as if he had a choice. While dodgeing, he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

"Drop to the floor!" Riyu yelled. Naruto obeyed, and a split second later thousands of shuriken shot out of the walls. The shuriken barely knicked Naruto's spikey hair. Naruto felt something under him shake.

"Jump!" Naruto yelled. Both boys leapt into the air as an enormous blade swept across the floor.

This had been going on for at least ten minutes. Trap after trap after trap had gone off. They thought the traps would never stop. The thing was, the boys weren't sure what they had done for the traps to go off. Neither of them had hit a switch or anything. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the traps stopped. When Naruto and Riyu landed on the ground, they looked around nervously, exchanged nervous glances, and then sighed in relief. They bent over, panting heavily.

"Is...it done?" Riyu asked in between breaths.

"I...think...so," Naruto answered, letting his body fall back. Riyu did the same. They stayed that way for a few moments. Finally, Naruto broke the silence.

"Hey, Riyu." He said. He waited for Riyu to look over at him before he continued, "What was up with you using the byakugan? You know, during the fight with Haku."

Riyu brought his hands to his temples and started massaging them. "I'm not sure. Before that, I remeber wishing I could see Haku's tenketsu and close them, like what Neji did to Hinata during the Chunin Exam."

That last statement Made Naruto a little angry. Not at Riyu, but at Neji for what he had done to the beautiful Hinata. '_Wait a minute. Did I just say Hinata was beautiful?'_ Naruto thought. He couldn't understand why he would think that, but he wasn't going to let Riyu know. He quickly regained himself.

"Man, that's totally weird." Naruto commented.

"I know. And the weirdest thing was that I had complete consiousness when I was fighting, but it felt like I wasn't doing the attacks the whole time. None of the fighting was my style." Riyu said.

"We'll just have to ask Kakashi-sensei about it when we see him again, but now we had better get going," Naruto said, getting to his feet.

Riyu shrugged and rose to his feet too. However, neither of them budged an inch. They turned to each other.

"Soo..." Naruto said.

"So what?" Riyu asked.

"Whose gonna go first?" Naruto asked, praying inside that Riyu was going to.

However, Riyu said, "Well, it's obviously you."

"What? Why me?" Naruto yelled.

"Well...umm...you are going to be hokage one day," Riyu said, thinking on the spot. Riyu hoped upon hope that this would work. "And the Hokage is a fearless leader." Riyu crossed his fingers behind his back. He had no intention to go first.

Naruto scratched his head for a moment in thought. It all made sense. This could very well be a test for the title of Hokage."I guess you're right," Naruto admitted.

"I'm right? I mean, of course I'm right. Now lead the way, future Rokudaime of Konohagakure." Naruto said. He knew calling Naruto this would ensure he was going to lead the way.

Naruto nodded proudly and then started walking down the hall. Riyu smirked to himself. '_Like taking ramen from an idiot,' _Riyu thought as he followed Naruto down the hall and into the unknown.

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Another pendulam swung down on Sakura and Kakashi, full intent to kill the intruders. They just stood stock still, not even batting an eyelash, as the pendulam slashed through the two of them.

Nothing happened. They both were still in one piece. Sakura smirked. "What a simple illusion," she said as both Kakashi and Sakura began their trek down the hall again.

"Hmm," Kakashi said in a bored tone, "It would appear that simply dodgeing these illusions sets off the actual traps. How clever."

Soon, they were out of the range of the traps. Sakura sighed. "I hope that Naruto and Riyu don't have to go through something like that," Sakura said.

"Why is that?" Kakashi asked.

"Knowing those two idiots, they would actually fall for the actual trap and dodge the illusions without even thinking," Sakura stated. She knew her male teammates would never stop to examine anything. Especially Naruto.

Kakashi peered forward. His eyes saw the that the end of the hall was near. He sighed and then brought his head back. "Well, the good news is that there don't appear to be any more traps along the way to the tower." Kakashi said.

Sakura looked over at her sensei. "Kakashi-sensei, that's twice now that you have mentioned this Tower of Destiny. What exactly is it?" She asked.

"Well, the Tower of Destiny is, or was, something of a myth. It's a tower that holds something to do with destiny, but not much more was known. It was said to be attatched to the Temple of Lost Souls. But I never expected it to be true." Kakashi said, and then he paused. "However, I fear that the traps were misleading, and the tower itself is what we shoud fear."

Sakura was now walking beside Kakashi. "What do you mean by that?" She asked curiously as they passed the statue of the One-Tailed Fox.

"I mean that everything else was childs play. There must be something in the tower that must be very powerful. And whenever there is a powerful object, there is always a powerful guardian guarding it." Kakashi finished, now passing the statue of the Three-Tailed Fox. Sakura gulped nervously.

"That's what I think the statues represent," Kakashi said as they passed the Four-Tailed Fox statue.

"Huh?" Sakura asked.

"From the start, the tails of the foxes decreased, meaning that it was only going to get easier. Now that the statues are gaining more and more tails, that means that it is going to get harder at some point in the near future." He said, now passing the Six-Tailed demon statue.

_'Great,'_ Sakura thought,_ 'I'm as good as dead. Why did Tsunade-sama have to give us this mission?'_

Soon, a faint light game into fiew. It was rectangular, but it was light. Now they passed the Eight-Tailed Fox's statue, and Sakura began to tremble. The light was getting closer and closer, until they finally reached it. It wasn't a blinding light, nor would it cause you to squint slightly . It was light, though, and it was welcome.

When they reached the end of the hall, they saw a bridge. The bridge stretched from the hallway out to an enormous stone tower. Glancing up, the two of them realized that the tower was much bigger than they had thought.

They looked back down to the bridge. It was long, no doubt about that. It was the width of it that frightened them. It was no wider than a futon mattress. It also seemed quite old, like it could crumble to pieces with even the tiniest piece of pressure.

Both of them gulped, even Kakashi, as he took the first step onto the bridge that led to the tower.

The fabled, legendary Tower of Destiny.

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(A/N) Again, I'm soooooo sorry for not updating. I just have a lot going on, and I have been forced to study for my stupid finals on Monday.

Also, I know that more than half of you are going to tell me that the chapter was too short or not that much happened in it. I apologize. This was one of those chapters that are supposed to set a mood or tone. My english teacher told my class, last semester, that a chapter like this is needed in a story. Don't worry, I swear that the next chapter will be longer and much more action packed.

Okay, time to answer reviews.

**Light of the Demons:** The necklace does not steal bloodlines. It does something else though. The reason Riyu could use the byakugan so easilly will be revealed in due time. There is a reason, though. Thanks for the poll answer, and thanks for your review.

**almostinsane:** You have the right to be one of my favorite reviewers. Thanks for the review. Oh, and please pray for me. My school finals are going to be a nightmare.

**badlevel50percent:** I'm sorry I didn't update sooner. It makes me feel great when I hear that I am doing something right. (at last) Thanks for the review.

**Nikkinmyjuliet:** Thanks for the review.

**kelly:** The necklace will be gradually explained in time. Thanks for the compliment. At first, when I wrote them down, I didn't think that you all would really like them. I guess I was wrong. Thanks for the review.

**pyro-chan the dragon king:** Yeah...we'll go with that, as long as that stick stays far away. The mindless fluff will be in the chapter after the next one, and more after that one. Thanks for the review.

**Raikiri1991:** If you mean, Why do you call this story fusion, then you just have to wait to find out. However, if you mean what you wrote. It's kinda obvious, isn't it? Thanks for the review.

**Dragon Man 180:** Thank you, now maybe my friend will shut up, since he is a fan of your fictions. He's not a member, though. The necklace does have a draw back, so it's not one of those all powerful weapons. You're in for a surprise with Naruto and Hinata. Kakashi didn't leave Sakura behind. I said that he picked her up and put her on his back. Thanks for the review.

**crazdninja:** It is pretty cool, isn't it.

Okay, here is the gameplan for the next week. I'm going to try to update by Thursday. And I'm thinking of doing a Christmas oneshot, but I'm not sure if I should. It will be Naruto/Hinata, naturally. I would really like your opinions about the idea. Do you think I should do it or not?

Oh, and in response to sharingan kyuubi's personal message, (At least that's who I think it is) I do not know anyone by that name. Sorry.

Thanks Light of the Demons for your ideas. I will definitely be using them.

And anyone else with any ideas for flashbacks, please let me know. I will greatfully accept them, and give you credit on them.

You know the drill. 5 reviews or no updates.

Until next time.


	11. Ch 10 The Tower of Destiny

(A/N) I'm SO sorry I haven't updated in a while. But it honestly isn't my fault. My computer crashed a few days after Christmas. I was planning to update on New Years, but we just recently got it fixed. Please don't be angry with me.

I also had to go back and redo this chapter somewhat.

This is the correct version.

Again, I apologize. Oh, and by the way, did everybody have a good Christmas and New Years?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I do own Riyu and Zulku, though.

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**Ch. 10 The Tower of Destiny**

The boys continued to silently walk down the hall, too afraid that there might be a trap sprung or an enemy attack at any moment. They continued to glance around in every direction.

Naruto couldn't couldn't stand the silence, it was way too quiet for his liking. Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but something caught his eye, which caused it to be closed once more. It was a faint light. He squinted down the hall.

"Neh, what is that?" Naruto asked, then he looked at Riyu, "Do you think it could be another trap?"

Riyu squinted too. "Uhh... it looks like a...door, I think," Riyu answered, "It's our way outta here!" Riyu yelled in delight.

"Well it's about damn time!" Naruto yelled. He sprinted down the hall and then yelled back to Riyu, "Let's go!"

"Hey, wait for me!" Riyu yelled with a grin on his face, and ran to catch up with his orange friend.

Naruto ran past a few of the fox statues, but glanced at the statue of the Six-Tailed Fox. He stopped himself right next to it. Unfortunately, Riyu had no time to stop, and barreled right into Naruto, sending both boys to the ground.

"Hey!" Naruto yelled, shoving Riyu off of him, "Watch where you're going!"

"Watch where you're stopping, then," Riyu mumbled to himself as he rolled over onto his back.

'**Your friend is quite graceful, is he not?**' Came a familiar voice inside of Naruto's head.

'_Kyubi?'_ Naruto asked mentally, pushing himself to his feet. '_Where the hell have you been?'_ Earlier, Naruto had attempted to draw upon Kyubi's chakra when they went through the spike pit, but he couldn't get in touch with the fox demon.

'**You can thank your friend with the needles. Those damn things put me to sleep for a bit. But now I'm back.**' Kyubi answered.

Naruto nodded, and then turned his attention to the statue that had caught his eye.

"Why did you stop, anyway?" Riyu asked, pushing himself to his feet.

"This statue," Naruto answered, pointing at the fox statue.

Riyu looked at the statue and silently counted the tails. "Only six tails, it's not our little furry friend," Riyu said.

"Then what is it?" Naruto asked, more to himself than to Riyu.

'**It is a fellow fox demon, you could call it a sibling of mine. However, it is far weaker than me, but powerful nontheless,**' Kyubi said. Naruto quickly relayed the message to Riyu.

Riyu nodded. "Yeah, I figured it was weaker than Kyubi," He said.

'**The whelp makes a pretty good observation,**' Kyubi commented, self pride evident in his voice.

"However," Riyu continued, "It looks a lot better than that dumb fox," He finished sarcastically.

Naruto started laughing, but Kyubi was less than thrilled. '**I'M GONNA KILL THE WHELP ONE OF THESE DAYS! I SWEAR IT!**' Kyubi boomed inside Naruto's head.

Naruto laughed a bit more before regarding the demon within his body '_Not without my permission,'_ Naruto mentally told the demon. This only caused Kyubi do growl deeper.

'**I swear kit, the first chance I get, I am getting out of here! And for my revenge, I'm gonna kill you, and the whelp!**' Kyubi growled. Naruto, however, seemed to have heard this before.

'_Yeah, yeah. That's what you said last week. Don't get your tails tangled in a knot,'_

'**Don't push it kit' **Kyubi warned before his voice faded away.

Naruto came back to the real world to find Riyu waving his hand in front of Naruto's face, repeating his name over and over.

Naruto caught Riyu's wrist. "What's up with you?" Naruto asked.

Riyu withdrew his hand and put it in his pocket, obviously satisfied his friend was awake. "you had that vacant stare again," He stated and, not wanting to be in the hall anymore, began walking down to the door.

"Oh, sorry," Naruto chuckled as he caught up and started walking alongside Riyu. They were soon engulfed by that faint light.

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Kakashi took a few more steps out onto the bridge before turning back to Sakura. "It's alright Sakura, it's safe."

Sakura nodded before nervously glancing down on the bridge, examing every crack and chunk of bridge that was missing. She gulped again. "Uhh...yeah, safe," She said to herself. She slowly took onto the bridge, but stopped halfway to Kakashi.

Kakashi sighed as he stared at his student. At this time, he felt like reaching into his pouch and getting his "Icha Icha" book Naruto had given him, but he couldn't until the mission was over. "Come on Sakura. All you have to do is cross the bridge, and then there will be no more bridge to cross," Kakashi said, slightly annoyed. He knew that they had been here well over five hours, and that the Hokage was more than likely going to kill him for being so late to check in.

Sakura weakly nodded and took a small step. She looked back at her sensei and froze once again. She knew she wasn't just seeing things.

"Sakura, what are you-?"

"Kakashi-sensei! Behind You!" Sakura yelled as a mysterious figure made a strike at Kakashi with a kunai.

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"Damn, that is one big tower," Naruto stated as they had left the hallway, and were now standing at the entrance to the bridge.

"Yeah," Riyu commented, "But this is one old bridge. There is no way it could support both of us."

They both glanced nervously at the old stone bridge that lay before them. Cracks ran everywhere, and chunks of it were missing from the bridge. The boys exchanged glances.

"You're going first," Both boys said simultaneously, emphasizing it by pointing at each other.

"No I'm not," They both said again. Both of them growled.

"Riyu, you are the one that's going first," Naruto said with certainty.

Riyu glared daggers at his friend. "Why? You made me go first at that spike pit thing back there!" Riyu responded, pointing back towards the hall.

"Yeah, but you made me go first after the traps," Naruto said.

Riyu rolled his eyes. "That was different. Unless you can give me an extremely good reason why I should go, I'm not going," Riyu finished, folding his arms across his chest.

Naruto thought for a moment, and then an idea came to him. "I do have a reason," Naruto said.

Riyu looked curiously at Naruto. "What? You're bluffing," Riyu said.

"Do you remember last month, when Obaa-chan was taking a _private_ bath in the hot springs, and you jumped over the fence that surrounded it, trying to get away from Sakura's wrath. Obaa-chan saw you, but you changed into Zulku-sensei before hopping the other side of the fence. How would Obaa-chan react if she were to find out it was you that peeped on her?" Naruto finished, smirking in triumph.

Riyu's eyes widened and his face went pale. "You wouldn't," He said.

"Try me," Naruto dared.

Riyu looked Naruto over, and knew immediately that he was telling the truth. "Fine. I'll go first," Riyu said in defeat.

"You go first," Naruto said with his usual ear-to-ear grin. Riyu mumbled a few swear words under his breath as he walked out onto the bridge. It was a little frightening, walking out onto that bridge. Riyu half expected that his first step would cause the bridge to collapse. He made it halfway, and turned back to look at Naruto, who was wearing a look that said "well?" Riyu glanced down at his feet, and decided to test the bridge.

He jumped up and down, but nothing happened. It seemed as sturdy as if it were just made. He decided it was safe to walk on and ushered Naruto to join him. Naruto gulped, but obeyed. He reluctantly walked over towards Riyu. Once he made it, Riyu glanced down at the bridge.

"It's weird,' Riyu said, "This bridge seems old and fragile, but it's as sturdy as a rock."

Naruto sighed in relief, and then started walking forward. "Okay, let's go," He said. Riyu nodded and began to follow. Suddenly, three kunai shot from the air and embedded themselves into the bridge, inches away from Naruto. Naruto and Riyu were frozen where they stood.

"What the hell was that?" Naruto asked, but Riyu shook his head.

"You aren't going anywhere," A male voice called down to them. The boys saw that it was a man with long, whit hair, and he was falling down onto the bridge. He landed in between the boys and the tower. He looked up at Naruto.

'_This guy, he looks familiar,_' Naruto thought as the man smirked an evil smirk.

"It's good to see you again, you pathetic demon fox," The man said.

Naruto gasped. Only one person had ever called him that. Naruto stared in horror at the man's face.

"M-Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto asked.

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Kakashi bent down just in time to dodge the attacking kunai. Kakashi immediately spun his legs and took his attackers legs out from under him. The second the attacker's back met the bridge, Kakashi was on top of him, holding a kunai to his throat.

It all happened in the blink of an eye to Sakura. She quckly ran to her sensei.

"Why did you attack?" Kakashi asked sternly, pressing the kunai closer to his throat.

"Heh, it seems you did manage to defeat Zabuza, afterall," The man said in an unthreatened way. This only made Kakashi press down harder.

"I asked you a question, now answer me," Kakashi ordered. The man chuckled.

"I did answer you. It is because of Zabuza being defeated I'm here. I am the west bridge guardian, Higo Takuyo, and I am here to kill you."

He quickly brought his legs up and shoved Kakashi away and leapt up to his feet.

"Also," Takuyo continued, "It's not just me that you have to face."

Sakura peered behind Takuyo, and saw seven more shinobi. Three of them were Waterfall, one of them was Cloud, two were Leaf, and one was Mist. Takuyo was from Sound. The Sound ninja smirked at Sakura and Kakashi. Kakashi was now standing up on his feet, and Sakura was shaking.

"This shouldn't take too long," Kakashi said to himself. He felt the remainder of his chakra. There wasn't much, but there was enough for the attack he was planning on using. He brought his hands into a seal and said, "Kage bunshin no jutsu."

Suddenly, five Kakashis were standing before the dead shinobi. Kakashi felt much of his chakra leave, so he had to make the next move count.

'_This will more than likely drain the remainder of my chakra, but..._' The original Kakashi thought as he stood in an attack stance. "I've been wanting to try this out," He thought out loud.

All the Kakashis outstretched their right arms down and channeled chakra through them. Soon, every Kakashi held a chidori in their own respective right hand.

"Sakura," The Kakashi in the back said, "I need you to back away, and when I say run, I want you to sprint forward as fast as you can."

Sakura nodded and then quickly backed away.

Kakashi and his clones charged at the enemy shinobi, arms reeled back. "This is where it ends," The front Kakashi yelled.

"Let's see if you can back up your words!" Takuya yelled as he and his companions ran at Kakashi and his clones.

They clashed. The front three Kakashis struck the shinobi head on before they poofed away. Now, only four enemies remained. Kakashi's other clone ran at the other shinobi, and destroyed all but Takuyo. In anger, Takuyo leapt back and took out more kunai. He charged again, and Kakashi's clone leapt back next to him.

"Now you DIE!" He yelled.

The real Kakshi crouched down and leaned forward. Then the other Kakshi leapt onto his back and launched himself into the air.

"Sakura, run!" The real Kakashi yelled as he remained in the same position, despite Takuyo getting closer with each second. Sakura didn't waste a second. She sprinted with all the strength she had as she ran towards Kakashi. Sakura jumped onto Kakashi's back and leapt over Takuyo's head. She landed with a soft thud and ran into the tower.

However, Takuyo was within striking distance of Kakashi, two arm lengths away.

Kakashi smirked behind his mask. As soon as Takuyo was close enough, he spun his legs around, taking Takuyo's legs out from under him. Takuyo fell onto his bottom, and Kakashi leapt to his feet and ran in the direction of the tower.

A vein began to throb on Takuyo's forehead as he leapt to his feet. "Do you think you can get rid of me that easily!?" Takuyo yelled at Kakashi, who had just entered the tower.

"No," Came a voice from above Takuyo's head, "This is how,"

Takuyo looked up and saw Kakashi's kage bunshin descending down onto him with a chidori in his hand. Takuyo was frozen with fear, unable to even move his hand.

The Kakashi kage bunshin thrusted his hand down, not onto Takuyo, but onto the bridge instead. The second the bridge was hit by the chidori, it burst into a thousand pieces, as if it were nothing but a glass window.

As the bridge collapsed on itself, Takuyo was taken with it, tumbling to the stone floor below.

Inside the tower, Sakura and Kakashi watched as the bridge collapsed into nothing. "I think I might of overdone it," Kakashi joked as he surveyed what was left (or lack there of) of the bridge.

"Maybe," Sakura said with a grin on her face, "I'm just curious as to how we are going to get back,"

"Oh," Kakshi said, "I think we can take the way Naruto and Riyu are taking,"

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"What the hell are you doing here, Mizuki?!" Naruto demanded, pointing towards his former sensei.

Naruto looked Mizuki over. His hair had lost much of its shine, now more of a gray color. His shinobi uniform was now covered with dirt.

Mizuki chuckled. "It's because of you, demon fox, that I died," He said, pointing at Naruto.

"What!" Riyu yelled, gripping his forehead because his headache was getting worse, "Naruto never killed you! You disappeared the day after we graduated!"

Mizuki shook his head, the grin still on his face. He ran his hand through his dirty hair. "I fear you have been given false information."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked Mizuki.

"You see, because I exposed Naruto's little secret, I was executed. It was the law of the village that if anyone was to tell Naruto of the Kyubi, then that person would be killed," Mizuki said.

Both boys grasped in shock. '_So that's why Iruka-sensei wouldn't tell me anything,'_ Naruto thought.

Suddenly, Mizuki took out an enormous shuriken from his back, a shuriken Naruto knew all to well.

"Now is the time for _my_ revenge, you damn little demon!" Mizuki roared, glaring at Naruto with pure evil in his eyes.

Riyu and Naruto exchanged looks. "Naruto," Riyu said, "You're going to have to take this one. My headache has started again, and I don't think I can fight with it." Riyu finished, massaging his temples.

"Sure," Naruto said, "It won't take that long anyway. I beat him once, I can beat him again."

"Oh please," Mizuki said, "You just caught me by surprise last time. It won't be that easy this time."

"I agree," Naruto said smirking, "It will be much easier." Naruto brought his hands into his favorite seal. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" He yelled. Suddenly, five Narutos stood before Mizuki, while Riyu stepped back.

"You can't beat me with the same technique!" Mizuki yelled, and then he threw the shuriken.

The Narutos leapt over the shuriken easily. However, it now targeted Riyu. Riyu's face went terrified as he leapt up into the air as high as he could, barely dodging the enormous shuriken.

Three Narutos landed behind Mizuki, while two landed in front of him. They saw that Mizuki was temporarily distracted, so decided to take the offense. The front Naruto ran at Mizuki and slammed his fist into his face and yelled, "U-!"

The back Naruto jumped off of the front one's back, while the ones in the back surrounded Mizuki as he came back. All three crouched down and threw their legs at Mizuki's chin, and yelleed, "ZU-MA-KI!"

Mizuki flew into the air, but was met with another Naruto coming down at him with his leg. Naruto swung his leg down and connected with Mizuki's head, and yelled, "NARUTO RENDEN!"

Mizuki's chin slammed into the ground, smashing his jaw to pieces.

Naruto landed on the ground and dispelled his clones.

Riyu saw his opprotunity and ran across the bridge, jumped over Mizuki, and ran into the tower. Naruto started walking towards the tower, too, but a chuckle stopped him. He turned to see Mizuki slowly getting to his feet.

"Did you forget that I am already dead?" Mizuki asked, "And you cannot kill something that is already dead,"

_'Damn it!'_ Naruto thought.

Suddenly, Naruto heard a voice. "Naruto!" He heard Riyu call from the temple. He turned to see Riyu gesturing towards him to come to him. Naruto nodded and ran to his friend.

"What is it?" Naruto asked when he reached Riyu.

"I have an idea," Riyu said, "Just stay in the tower. I know how to get rid of this ass hole."

"Uhh...okay," Naruto said as he backed into the temple.

Mizuki was walking towards the boys, his jaw hanging open. "Stop, kid," Mizuki half ordered, half pleaded. "Do you realize what you are protecting?"

Riyu sped through some hand seals. "Of course I do," Riyu said as he stopped on the tiger hand seal, "My best friend."

Riyu bent down and slammed his palm onto the bridge. "Stone deconstruction no jutsu!" Riyu yelled.

The bridge rumbled for a second, but then it began to collapse thousands of pieces. Mizuki yelled all the way down as the bridge tumbled down to the roof of the first floor.

Suddenly, Riyu felt relief flood through his body as he turned around towards Naruto. "That's weird," He said to himself.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"My headache is gone," Riyu said.

"Oh, well that's good and all, but how are we gonna get out of here now? You destroyed the bridge." Naruto said, pointing where the bridge once stood.

"Uhh," Riyu said as he looked past Naruto, "I guess we'll just take the way Sakura and Kakashi-sensei took," Riyu finished, pointing towards the other entrance to the tower.

Naruto turned around and saw Sakura and Kakashi standing at the other end of the temple, each one wearing a look of relief. Sakura was waving at the boys, while Kakashi stood there, smiling behind his mask. They had all finally made it to the Tower of Destiny.

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Kakashi smiled as his other students ran over towards him. It was good to know they were alive.

"Kakashi-sensei! Sakura-chan! You made it!" Naruto yelled happily.

Kakashi grinned. "It's good to see you too boys," Kakashi said, nodding to each boy.

Riyu and Naruto then turned their attention towards Sakura, and began speaking with her. Kakashi decided to take this time to examine the room.

It was a simple, round room, with a stone staircase that rounded up in the center of the room.

'_I guess Zabuza was wrong. There weren't many dangers after all,'_ Kakashi thought as he turned his attention back towards his pupils.

"It was so awesome!" Naruto exclaimed, "We got to fight Haku again. Then we had to get through some traps but, thanks to me, we lived." Naruto finished, grinning. Riyu, however, glared at Naruto.

"You baka!" Sakura scolded, "Those traps were illusions. Dodging was what set the traps off."

Riyu and Naruto exchanged looks.

"Nice going genius. You almost got us killed," Riyu said, slightly shoving Naruto.

"What are you yelling at me for?" Naruto asked, rubbing his shoulder, "You jumped too. You're just as guilty!"

"I was just listening to you," Riyu defended.

"That was your first mistake," Sakura interrupted. She turned and walked to the staircase, where Kakashi now stood.

"Are you two coming, or do we have to leave the two of you behind?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto and Riyu exchanged glances and nodded to each other. They walked over to Kakashi.

"All right then. Let's go," Kakashi said once they were all assembled at the staircase. They started walking, with Naruto by Kakashi's side, and Sakura by Riyu's.

Naruto glanced over at his sensei, and saw that his hands were in his pockets, and that his sharingan eye was uncovered.

"Did you get into a fight, sensei?" Naruto asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes I did," Kakashi answered without glancing at Naruto. He kept his eyes trained on the stairs, as if it could cave in at any moment.

"Yeah, well, we got to fight Haku and won," Naruto repeated proudly. However, he decided to leave out how he and Riyu got their butts kicked in the beginning.

"So who did you fight?" Riyu asked, looking curiously at his sensei. Kakashi didn't really seem to care about what they were saying at all.

"Sakura and I fought Zabuza," Kakashi stated.

"Really?" Riyu asked. He looked over at Sakura, and she nodded in confirmation.

"Cool!" Naruto said, suddenly excited, "Was he stronger? Faster? Meaner? Or did he change?" Naruto blurted.

Kakashi sighed. He was very tired. He had used at least three chidori, and the kage bunshin technique. He was afraid that, if there were other challenges, he would not have the strength to carry on. "Yes, Naruto, he was stronger. And if it weren't for Sakura, I might not even be here. He was also faster, but not meaner. He has definitely come a long way from the bridge battle two years ago."

Kakashi's hand brushed his kunai pouch, which hid his Icha Icha Paradise book. He was itching to take it out and read it, but there was just too much to worry about. And now they seemed to be coming to a smooth surface, so there was another possibility of attack.

"Yeah, we almost lost too," Riyu stated as he tried to suppress a yawn. His lack of sleep was catching up with him. He had gotten at least two hours of sleep the previous night, and he wanted to ponder his necklace, which had saved his and Naruto's life.

Naruto looked back at Riyu, and saw him holding his necklace up to his face, and staring at it curiously. Then Naruto remembered what Riyu had done, how he had used the Byakugan to save their lives. He leaned in close to Kakashi and whispered, "Eh...Kakashi-sensei, is Riyu a Hyuga?"

Kakashi looked over curiously at Naruto, and then back at Riyu, and back at Naruto. "Why are you asking me for?" Kakashi asked, "You're his friend, you should know."

"I'm only asking 'cause, when we fought Haku, Riyu used the Byakugan. And neither of us knows why or how he used it," Naruto said, hoping that Kakashi would be able to answer his question.

Kakashi's expression remained uninterested. "Are you sure it was the Byakugan?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah, yeah, of course I'm sure!" Naruto yelled, which made Riyu, Sakura, and Kakashi flinch. Riyu now wanted to know what they were talking about. "He did the same handseals that Hinata-chan does whenever she uses the Byakugan, and his eyes popped the same way Hinata-chan's would, and he even yelled the word 'BYAKUGAN'!"

For some reason, Sakura's heart would sink whenever Naruto would call Hinata, 'Hinata-chan'. She sometimes found herself spying on Naruto and Hinata, even when they were just talking. And Riyu was even with them when they talked. But, nonetheless, she couldn't stop the greedy little monster called jealousy from hurting her heart.

"No need to shout Naruto," Kakashi said as he cleaned out his ear with his pinky, "I'm not sure how Riyu was able to use the Byakugan, but we'll have to discuss this later."

"Why?" Riyu asked.

"Because we've reached the next floor," Kakashi said, pointing to the top of the stairs.

Sure enough, the staircase ended and a smooth floor started. As they entered the next room, Kakashi noticed that the room wasn't that different from the lower one. It was a round room, but it had an enormous glass wall in the center, separating the room into half. In front of the wall was a stone slab with writing on it. On the other side of the glass wall was another set of stairs that spiraled along the tower walls.

Sasura was the first to see the stone slab and quickly walked towards it. Naruto went over to the glass wall and tapped it. Small sparks shot from the glass where Naruto touched it, so he withdrew it immediately. Riyu and Kakashi walked over to Sakura. After Naruto's shock, he joined them.

"What does it say?" Naruto asked, trying to read over Riyu's shoulder.

Sakura looked up at Naruto then back down at the stone slab and began to read.

"The temple is the key to this riddle;

At the start, one group becomes two,

And different paths are taken,

But everything is the same,

Same floors,

Same halls,

Same walls,

And the same tower,

In the end, the groups meet, and become one again,

What does this mean?"

When she finished, Sakura looked up curiously at her teammates. "What does this mean?" She repeated.

No one answered her, but instead decided to try and solve the riddle.

_'Come on, think Naruto, think! What does it mean?'_ Naruto thought desperately.

Kakashi was hoping that Sakura could come up with the answer, seeing as how she was the most intelligent of the group. Riyu, too, wanted to leave it to Sakura. He didn't want anything bad to happen because of him.

Suddenly, Naruto's head snapped up, and his eyes went wide. "I got it!" Naruto said as he snapped his fingers. "I know the answer,"

Sakura was a little upset. She had figured it out, too, but was too slow. Not letting her disappointment show, she smiled at Naruto and looked back down at the slab.

"Okay Naruto, there seems to be a spot to put your hand on this slab, so put your hand on it and say the answer," Sakura instructed, gesturing to the slab.

"Okay, Sakura-chan," Naruto said, nodding. Sakura blushed slightly, which didn't go unnoticed by Kakashi. "Just step aside and leave everything to me," Naruto said boldly as he approached the slab.

Sakura nodded and obeyed. Naruto came up to it and placed his hand on the slab.

"The answer to the riddle is this: The builders of this temple didn't have an imagination," Naruto said proudly. The other shinobi, however, didn't share his pride.

"WHAT!?" Sakura yelled with all her previous feelings towards Naruto now replaced by anger.

"What?" Kakashi asked angrily. Then he began looking around the room nervously. Riyu, however, remained quiet. He kinda thought that might have been the answer.

Suddenly, the entire room shook violently, although it only lasted briefly, and some dust fell from the ceiling of the floor. Sakura immediately pummeled Naruto headfirst into the ground.

"YOU IDIOT! WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!" Sakura yelled while hitting Naruto.

Riyu sighed. '_That's a little harsh,' _He thought.

"Oww-oww. I'm sorry Sakura-chan. Oww-oww!" Naruto said while being hit by Sakura.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was standing at the slab and staring up at the ceiling. He could have sworn he had felt a slight chakra spike. '_I wonder if anything really did happen,'_ Kakashi thought.

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Meanwhile, on the very next floor, in a round room, a stone black coffin sat in the center. The floor rumbled violently, and then it stopped.

Suddenly, the coffin burst open, and a demon emerged.

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(A/N) Again, I apologize for the wait. Part of it was my computer's fault, and part of it was my trait of being lazy. I swear the next chapter will be out soon, I'm still kinda working on it. I know the riddle wasn't that interesting (or that original) but that's all I could think of. And, before any of you ask, I know that Sakura likes Naruto, even though this is a Naruto/Hinata. Just trust in me and you won't be disappointed.

I can guarantee you that there will be a little bit of fluff in the next chapter, and then the fluff starts up. I swear.

Now it's time to answer reviews:

**pyro-chan the dragon king:** Please don't hurt me with the sword. I know I promised to update fast, but my stupid computer crashed. We're getting this one replaced soon, so that's when you can count on faster updates.

**Rasenganfin:** lol. Don't worry, it definitely will be a NarutoxHinata ending, but remember that the story will continue. This is only part one of the trilogy.

**Dragon man 180:** Yeah, that's true, but remember who we're talking about. Naruto isn't exactly smart, he usually acts before he thinks.

**almostinsane:** I passed 3/4 of the finals. My mom wasn't too happy. Thanks for praying for me anyway, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Light of the Demons:** Don't worry, the necklace thing will be revealed soon. I promise.

**Kelly:** The Tower will definitely be interesting, sorta. Thanks for the review.

**Korhil Tohru:** Okay, Naruto was running low on chakra due to the needles Haku hit him with. Kyubi usually fuels Naruto's chakra, and he was dormant at the time. And I understand that the fluff is seriously lacking. And just to prove that I can do fluff, check out my oneshot called The Greatest Gift. Anyway, the fluff starts up slightly in the next chapter, and then in the chapters to come. I skipped Haku the first time for a reason. I didn't think it would be good for them to fight Haku twice within a few chapters. Thank you, and Riyu appreciates the compliment. This other guy says that Riyu sucked, that's why I feared other people hated him. Thanks for the review.

Also, please don't flame me. It's my birthday today ( If you're reading this on January 31) and it's also going to snow, so I'm not in the mood for bad news.

I'd also like to thank my new beta reader, ANBU26. Without him, this newer version of this chapter would not have come to be. I think ANBU26 is far more reliable than my other reader.

Until next time.

Remember, 5 reviews or no update. (And I mean it this time)


	12. Ch 11 Unnoticed Love

(A/N) I'm sorry for the late update. Let's see, I haven't updated in...A MONTH?! Ooops...Sorry.

For a full reason why it was so late, scroll down to the author notes at the bottom of the chapter.

Strap yourselves in, because this will be the longest chapter yet. That's why it took a little while to get this out.

I would like to, again, thank my new beta reader, ANBU26. He can get the chapter back to me really fast. My last beta could not keep up.

Also, despite the title of this chapter, there is more action than fluff; So be prepared.

_'Why did it take so long for this chapter?_' –thoughts.

"**Maybe the kid is just lazy**." -Kyubi talking.

"Naruto and Sakura for ever!" -Someone's opinion that we do not care about.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way, shape, or form. I do, however, own Riyu and Zulku in every way, shape, and form.

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Chapter 11. Unnoticed Love

"I'm sorry," Naruto repeated after Sakura was done pounding on him. Bumps and bruises covered his head.

"You should be," Sakura scolded, "What if something bad had happened. Like the tower collapsing or another attack? I think that we were just lucky. That shake was probably just a warning."

Naruto mumbled something to himself, and then pointed to the pedestal. "Okay, fine. If you think that you know the answer, then go ahead and answer it," He said.

Sakura glared bullets at her blonde companion, and then walked over to the pedestal and placed her hand on it. "The answer to the riddle is this: All close friends share the the same destinies, because they are a permanent part of your lives, no matter what," Sakura said. She took her hand off the pedestal and looked at the glass wall.

"Did it work?" Riyu asked from behind her.

Sakura was about to answer, but a violent shaking stopped her. Cracks began to appear in the glass wall.

"Everybody, get down now!" Kakashi ordered. Everyone obeyed, throwing themselves to the floor and covering their heads protectively. More and more cracks were forming on the wall, and pieces of glass and ceiling were falling down. Suddenly, the shaking stopped, and the glass wall shattered into thousands of pieces.

When Team 7 raised their heads, they expected to be covered in glass and to see it everywhere. But instead, they saw nothing, not even a hint of glass. This left everyone confused.

"What happened to the glass?" Riyu asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"I don't know," Naruto said as he looked around for any signs of glass. "I mean, it was just all raining down on us a second ago. And now it's just gone."

"Hmm," Kakashi said as he thought about what had happened. "It would seem that, if we had answered the riddle wrong again, then the glass would have poured down on us . And the sparks that Naruto felt earlier would have probably ran through the shattered glass and fried us to death," When Kakashi finished, his 3 genin wore horrified looks.

"Damn," Riyu stated.

"Shit," Naruto stated.

"Well," Sakura began, "It didn't kill us, so we should be alright," Sakura pointed over at the other set of stairs. "We should probably climb the stairs." Her companions nodded.

Looking at the stairs, Naruto noticed that these stairs were not like the other ones. This set clung to the wall, and spiraled with the tower. And, by squinting, he could barely make out the door to the next room.

"Okay Sakura-chan, let's go!" Naruto yelled, pumping his fist into the air. Sakura went a light shade of pink and nodded.

"Okay, but slowly this time Naruto," Kakashi said, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder to stop him from running to the stairs. "Remember the last time you got excited and tried to rush into the situation?"

Naruto froze, and then allowed himself to chuckle nervously. "Yeah, hehe, I guess I forgot," He said. Kakashi let go of Naruto and, along with Riyu and Sakura, walked normally to the stairs, and began to ascend them. Little did they know, a threat awaited them on the next floor. (a/n: quick author's note. I'm not even close to done people)

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Tsunade had enjoyed her little nap. It was a Monday, and she hated those with a passion. When she awoke, it wasn't because she wanted to, it was because of the annoying voice of Might Guy.

"The power of youth is strong in you Gondaime-sama." Guy told Tsunade. She warily glanced up from her desk to see Guy and Rock Lee doing their good guy poses and their teeth sparkle. Neji and Tenten walked in reluctantly behind them.

"Do you two always have to do that every time you greet someone?" Tenten asked after she sighed.

Lee looked hurt. "What are you talking about Tenten-chan? Of course we have to. It is our duty to spread the power of youth to everyone we know," He said with flames in his eyes. Tenten sweat dropped.

"Lee, that was an excellent speech," Guy said, giving Lee a thumbs up.

"Guy-sensei!" Lee cried out.

"Lee," Guy called back.

"Guy-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Guy-sensei!"

"Le-!"

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Tenten yelled as she slammed Lee into the wall.

Tsunade closed her eyes and sighed. 'Why did I take this job again?' She asked herself.

Neji saw this and sighed as well. "If you all are done fooling around," He said, which caused Tenten to blush in embarrassment, "Tsunade-sama called us here for a reason."

Tsunade nodded. "Yes, thank you Neji. Alright, as you all know, we are in short supply of shinobi. Most of them are either just graduating from the academy, on missions, or have been killed in battle. At the moment, only a handful are left. I know full well that the four of you just returned from a mission yesterday, but I need your help anyways."

"Of course, Gondaime-sama," Guy said, "What is the mission you wish for us to carry out?"

"As you know, I sent Team Asuma to Sunagakure to secure shinobi allies. I am sending you four to the village Takigakure(Waterfall village). When you arrive, I want you to give the Shibuki this package." Tsunade lifted a medium sized brown package onto her desk and Rock Lee took the package. "This will be a C-ranked mission."

"What's in the package?" Tenten asked curiously.

Tsunade shook her head. "I'm sorry dear, but I'm afraid I cannot tell you. Can I trust all of you with this mission?" She asked.

Neji and Tenten nodded, while Lee and Guy struck their good guy poses. "Of course you can," Answered Guy.

Tsunade nodded. "Okay then, you all are dismissed," She said.

Team Guy filed out the door, in single file, to fulfill thier mission.

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After spiraling up the staircase, Naruto and his friends finally made it to the next floor. It didn't shock them to find that the room was almost completely identical to the previous room. The only differences were that there was no glass wall in the center, and there weren't any stairs to be seen. There were chunks of stone on the left side of the room, and the room was round with a brown, stone wall that matched the ceiling and the floor. One side of the wall was blanketed with shadows.

"Ah ha! You see!" Naruto exclaimed as he pointed at the room, "The builders of this temple had no imagination at all! I was right!"

Sakura and Kakashi sighed, but Riyu grinned and nodded. Suddenly, a chill went through the room, followed by a voice.

"It's not that the architects didn't have a creative bone in their bodies," The voice said, "It's that they were modest and humble, and didn't wish to create anything too fancy to decorate with." The voice had come from nowhere.

Kakashi quickly scanned the shadows with both of his eyes and found a human figure, around his height, standing in the shadows. From what Kakashi could see, he was wearing a blue kimono with long white socks and wooden sandals. Under his kimono was a black shirt and silver pants. He had short, black hair that reached down to his shoulders. He appeared to be fairly young.

"Who said that?" Naruto yelled, "Show yourself!"

The young man stepped out from the shadows to show himself completely to his new guests. At first sight of him, everyone froze. At that moment, they could feel the energy emitting from his body. It was super powerful. The man stared blankly the four companions. "Which one of you answered the riddle wrong?" He asked.

Naruto gulped as he raised his hand. "That...that was me," He answered shakilly.

The man chuckled. "Then I have to thank you, kid. I haven't been out of that damn coffin in centuries," He said, pointing at the stone slabs to his side. "And now, because of you, I'm free...Well, sorta." He finished, shrugging.

Riyu, Sakura, and Kakashi all looked over at Naruto, who looked nervously back at them. Kakashi didn't wear a look of hatred, but Sakura and Riyu did. Well, Sakura much more than Riyu.

"You see Naruto? Something did happen because of you," Sakura growled.

Naruto was about to respond, but the man's chuckling cut him off.

"What's so funny?" Riyu asked.

"Oh, it's just that it's good that the orange kid got the question wrong," The man said as if it were common knowledge.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?" She asked.

The man cleared his throat before speaking. "Long ago, it was said that the one chosen to bear the treasure in this temple would be a total moron. So, if you had answered the question right the first time, not only would you of had to dodge the electric sparks, but, also, I would not be here. In my place would have been a demon that kills with just one touch of your body. You all would have been dead by now," He finished, smiling.

Team Kakashi gasped, and Sakura and Riyu looked over at Naruto and mouthed, "I'm sorry," Naruto nodded, and they turned back to the man.

Naruto had this strange feeling. He knew that he had felt this energy before. He felt something like it whenever he used Kyubi's chakra. Suddenly, realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"What are you?" Naruto questioned.

The man slightly dropped his grin and tilted his head. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"The chakra I feel radiating off of you, I've felt it before," Naruto said.

The man resumed his smile. "Oh, I am nothing more than a simple, powerful demon," He said as if it were obvious.

Everyone of the ninja felt a chill run down their spines. "What do you mean?" Sakura asked. "You appear to be human, so how can you be a demon?"

The demon chuckled. "My dear, haven't you ever heard that a demon that takes on the appearance of a human is the most dangerous? No? Well then, I am Kakudo, sometimes called The Demon of Destiny. And I am the guardian of The Map of Destiny."

"Wait a second!" Riyu ordered, "What is it with all this destiny shit? I mean, The Tower of Destiny, Demon of Destiny, and the Map of Destiny? The only thing different is the damn name of the temple! What is up that?"

Kakudo shrugged. "The creators of this temple were known as Katickawas. They believed that everything that happened was a result of destiny. So, when the map was made, it was deemed too powerful. So they made this temple, striking a deal with the Heavens; there were to be guardians from Hell. At first, only the powerful were allowed to be guardians. However, that proved to be a mistake. They were far too corrupt and evil, and they repeatedly tried to steal the map.

"That's where I came in," Kakudo continued. "They asked me to serve, and they promised me eternal peace after the chosen one had retrieved the map."

"How did one as powerful as you die?" Sakura asked while Naruto and Riyu were trying to figure out what Kakudo was saying.

Kakudo shrugged again. "You see, many years ago, I slayed an entire village with my bare hands. Eventually, I was killed by a Hanyou. After my death, I sought peace. That was when we made the deal. I have been here ever since."

_'An entire village?_' Sakura thought in horror.

_'With his bare hands?_' Naruto thought. He gulped nervously.

Everyone was in shock. And not just because of Kakudo's story. It was because they realized that they were risking their lives for a map. Kakashi was in a lesser state of shock, since he had heard of the map in his youth.

Suddenly, Kakudo's face went serious and he looked at Naruto. "I honestly you are the one that is meant to retrieve the map. But sadly, I am charged with killing anyone who makes it up this far up the tower. And the four of you fall right into my jurisdiction." He said, and then dropped into a fighting stance. "Prepare yourselves. I haven't seen action in a long time, so don't disappoint me."

Riyu reached into his pouch and retrieved three shuriken. Naruto dropped into a fighting stance and readied a rasengan. Sakura took out a kunai and fell into her own stance. Kakashi reached down and readied a chidori, even though he was far to weak to conjure up a good and powerful one.

The demon seemed to study his enemies for a moment, searching for any weakness he could find.

"There is no way we are losing to you," Naruto proclaimed, his voice filled with confidence. His companions nodded in agreement.

Kakudo smirked. "Well, if you feel that strongly about your abilities, then come," he said.

Naruto obeyed. Taking his opponent for granted, Naruto rushed at him at full speed.

"Stop Naruto!" Kakashi yelled, but it was too late.

Without Kakudo even twitching, Naruto was slammed into the ground by an unknown force. The rasengan disappeared from Naruto's hand, and he coughed up some blood. It felt like being pinned by a boulder. An extremely heavy boulder.

Suddenly, Kakudo vanished and reappeared on top of Naruto, holding him down.

**'He's fast. So fast, I couldn't pick him up with my sharingan,**' Kakashi thought in horror.

Kakudo raised his hand to reveal five extremely sharp and deadly claws extending from his fingertips. Riyu clenched his fists in anger. There was nothing he could do at the moment to save his best friend, and it pissed him off.

Sakura gasped. "Naruto!" She cried and turned to Kakashi. "Please, do something Kakashi-sensei!" She said, half pleading and half ordering.

"I wish I could, Sakura. But the moment I go to help Naruto, Kakudo will most likely kill Naruto and I," Kakashi responded. He was desperately trying to formulate a plan, but it wasn't working. He had already expended too much of his chakra, and he was just lucky that he still had enough for the chidori that he held in his hand. He was sure that, if Kakudo didn't kill him, then chakra exhaustion would. He had to make his attack count.

Kakudo stomped on Naruto's back which made Naruto cry out in pain. Then Kakudo looked over to Kakashi, as if expecting him to react. Riyu saw Kakudo's momentary distraction and decided to take action. Speeding through the hand seals, he uttered the phrase, "Fire style: fireball no jutsu!" Fire balls shot from Riyu's mouth and shot at Kakudo at a frightening speed.

Kakudo shifted his eyes and saw the fireballs shooting at him. He sighed as he raised up his arm to them. He uttered an inaudible phrase as the fireballs got closer. The flames struck an invisible barrier an inch from his hand, and rebounded straight back at Riyu.

The attack happened so quickly, Riyu didn't have time to dodge. The flames hit him head on and sent him flying to the wall as he cried out in pain. His back slammed with a sickening thud, and the shuriken fell from his hands. Then he fell to the ground, some of his clothes still on fire.

"Riyu!" Sakura yelled as she raced over to heal her fallen teammate.

Kakudo seemed distracted, so Kakashi decided to act. He ran at Kakudo with the remainder of his strength. Naruto also took advantage of Kakudo's distraction and yanked himself from under Kakudo's foot. He shakily got to his feet, his wound healing thanks to Kyubi. He turned to watch his sensei.

Sakura reached Riyu and surveyed his wounds. They were bad, but not severe. She could heal him easily. She ran healing chakra through his body, and he began to recover. When he became conscious, Riyu opened his eyes and blinked a few times before sitting up. "Thanks Sakura," He said smiling gratefully at her, "I guess I owe ya' one." Sakura grinned and nodded. Then the two turned to see Kakashi rushing Kakudo.

Kakudo turned his attention back to Kakashi, but it was too late. Kakashi thrusted his chidori at the demon. However, a few inches from Kakudo, a white barrier appeared and absorbed the chidori. Suddenly, the barrier lit up and a ball of blue chakra shot out and struck Kakashi in the chest, sending him clear across the room. He slammed into the wall and fell, leaving a large dent in the wall and blood stains.

"One down," Kakudo said holding up one finger, and then he pointed at the others, "Three to go."

"Kakashi-sensei!" All three genin yelled. Sakura quickly ran to her sensei, and Riyu ran over to Naruto.

"This guy is wicked strong," Naruto said.

"I know, how are we gonna beat this guy?" Riyu asked. Naruto shook his head and turned back to Kakudo, but he was gone.

Suddenly, halfway to Kakashi, a firm hand grabbed Sakura's shoulder and stopped her in her tracks. Then a voice whispered in her ear. "I can't have you healing your teammates, so..." With one strike to the back of Sakura's neck, she was out cold.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled. Riyu and Naruto both clenched their fists in anger. Kakudo turned to the boys and smirked at them. He held up two fingers this time.

"Two down, and two to go," He said. He sounded like he was enjoying everything.

Naruto and Riyu exchanged glances and nodded. They brought their hands in a single seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" They both yelled as ten copies of Riyu were made, and twenty of Naruto. Kakudo merely watched them with little interest.

"You're in trouble now," The front Riyu taunted. "Because now you face a lot more than two of us," the back Naruto said.

"Really?" Kakudo asked in an unimpressed tone. Kakudo outstretched his arm and flicked his hand forward.

Immediately after, the boys were enveloped in a cloud of smoke as their shadow clones were destroyed. Riyu was shot out of the left and slammed into the wall, while Naruto skidded across to the right.

Naruto recovered quickly and jumped to his feet, panting. "I don't get it. We didn't even move to attack, and destroyed our clones like they were nothing. It's two against one, we should be able to beat this guy," Naruto said to himself as he watched Riyu struggle to his feet.

As is Kakudo knew what Naruto was thinking, Kakudo did one hand seal and split into two. Now there were two Kakudo. It was two versus two. Naruto swore under his breath. One demon walked towards Riyu, and one walked straight to Naruto.

The one that walked to Riyu raised his arm at the boy and held two fingers out. Riyu felt his body stiffen, he couldn't budge an inch. Kakudo lowered his fingers slowly, and Riyu's arms were forced lower and tighten to his side.

"I...can't move...my body," Riyu said as he struggled to break free from his invisible bindings.

Kakudo raised his other hand's index finger to his lips. "It's a paralysis jutsu, so hush," Kakudo ordered, "It will all be over soon." He brought his hand down and performed a single hand seal with his free hand. The other Kakudo did the same to Naruto when he reached him.

Suddenly, blue chakra danced in each Kakudo's respective palms. Each demon slammed the balls into the chests' of the boys. Naruto and Riyu began to feel extremely weak.

'Damnit! This bastard is draining my chakra!' Naruto thought as he struggled to break away from Kakudo. Riyu was having the same problem.

Soon, both Kakudos released their hold on the boys, and the boys fell to their knees. Kakudo smiled. "Your chakra is so...so...rejuvenating," He said.

Naruto could feel something happening within him, and Kakudo noticed Naruto's eyes go red. The other Kakudo saw Riyu's necklace glowing a mixture of blue and green. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity. He knew exactly what Riyu was doing. He was drawing chakra out of the necklace. He knew exactly what the necklace was.

_'So this kid is an Uzuka?_' Kakudo thought. _'How interesting._' He smirked and sped through hand seals. He finished and placed his hand on Riyu's chest. "Bubble Dome no Jutsu!" He said. A solid bubble appeared out of nowhere and encased Riyu within it.

Riyu gained enough of his strength back to take in the situation, and immediately began banging on the shell of his prison. "Let me out of here!" He demanded.

Kakudo seemed to consider him for a second. "Why would I do that?" Kakudo asked sarcastically. "What reason is there for me to allow an Uzuka to use the Necklace of 1000 Souls to his advantage?"

Riyu stopped pounding and stared at Kakudo curiosly. "What do you mean Necklace of 1000 Souls? I thought this thing was called the Uzuka Necklace," Riyu said, holding up his necklace.

"It was called the Uzuka Necklace sometime after your ancestors placed a jutsu on it that makes it work only for Uzuka clan members," Kakudo answered, then he tilted his head. "Why do you ask? Haven't your parents, or other family, told you of its origin yet?"

"No. I don't even know anyone from my family," Riyu said.

"This is interesting," Kakudo said as he smirked. He performed a few one handed hand seals and slammed his palm on the dome. Water began to fill the bubble, it stopped at Riyu's neck.

"What are you doing?" Riyu asked, banging on the bubble again.

Kakudo grinned as he did a few more seals. "I can't have you interfering with anything," He stopped on a seal and placed his hand on the bubble. "Lightening no Jutsu!"

Riyu cried in pain as thousands of volts assaulted his body.

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The other Kakudo watched as Naruto transformed. His nails were becoming claws, the tips of his hair was going red, and his whisker marks were darkening. Kakudo tilted his head in thought. _'This... chakra, and this aura, seems familiar,_' The demon thought.

He did a few handseals and vanished into thin air. Then Naruto felt his world go black.

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Naruto woke to find himself standing in front of an enormous cage. The cage that held Kyubi. Naruto looked around and saw Kakudo standing on the outside of it and talking to Kyubi.

"So, this is what has become of you, my old friend," Kakudo said, and then he glanced at Naruto. "Such a powerful demon, strongest of his kin, sealed away inside the body of a child," Kakudo paused. "You're a disgrace to all demons."

Kyubi narrowed his eyes and growled. "**How dare you talk to me, Kyubi, the destroyer of lives and villages, in such a way?**"

"Kakudo remained stolid. "Obviously, you've lost power, so you are no longer a threat to me anylonger. I am going to kill the brat which will, in turn, kill you as well," Kakudo finished, and then he vanished again. Naruto felt his world go black once more.

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Naruto woke once more in the tower. Naruto looked over at Kakudo, but Kakudo wasn't looking at him. He was looking across the room, at the place where Riyu was.

"Ahhhh!" Naruto heard Riyu yell. Then the other Kakudo vanished, and Naruto saw Riyu's body slump to the floor.

Naruto's eyes widened in shock, and then lowered in anger. He glared at Kakudo with pure hatred, and then looked around at his comrades. Every single one of them was unconscious, and Riyu was almost dead. Naruto closed his eyes.

_'Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and Riyu. I'm sorry I let this happen to you guys,_' Naruto thought.

"**Well, what are you gonna do, Kit?**" Kyubi asked, "**Are you going to sit here while that demon bastard kills all of us, or are you going to rip him to shreds?**"

Naruto raised his head and opened his blood red eyes. "I'm gonna rip him to shreds!"

"**Very good,"** Kyubi said, "**Now listen Kit. I'll make you a deal. As long as you promise to kill this bastard, I'll give you all the freaking chakra you want, and I won't try to take over. Do we have a deal?"**

"Yes."

"_Good. Here you go Kit. Good luck."_

Naruto could feel every wound on his body heal as Kyubi's chakra began to circulate through his body. He stood up and stared at Kakudo, who stared right back at him.

"So you have some fight left in you, eh?" Kakudo observed.

"Shut up!" Naruto ordered, "You hurt my friends. There is no way I can forgive you for that!" Naruto finished as his transformation completed, with three chakra tails sprouting from his bottom.

Kakudo smirked. "Maybe this will be interesting, after all."

Both opponents took one step towards each other, and then vanished. The impacts of their blows could be heard echoing through the entire tower.

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In mid-air, Naruto swung his leg at Kakudo's head. Kakudo caught it and threw Naruto towards the ground. Naruto quickly turned his body and landed on his feet. He launched himself into the air and slammed his head into Kakudo's chest. Kakudo countered and slammed his knee into Naruto's chin, sending him across the room. Naruto sumersaulted and landed smoothly on the floor, the small bruise appeared and disappeared from his chin instantly.

Kakudo landed on the opposite side of the room, clutching his stomache as he growled angrilly at Naruto. _'This is not good. Not only can he keep up with my speed, but he knows how to use Kyubi's chakra. However, this also means..._' Kakudo thought. Then he took his hand from his belly and smirked. "I need not hold back anylonger. Prepare yourself, for my true strength is about to awaken," Kakudo warned.

Naruto remained unmoved. He showed no fear what so ever. He seemed...excited, to say the least. "Go ahead," He offered. This was not a good sign. The Kyubi's power was going to Naruto's head.

Kakudo folded his arms across his chest and lowered his head behind his arms. Dark matter began to envelope him as he began to unleash his true form. Enormous bat-like wings sprouted from his back, his teeth grew into frightening fangs, his eyes went pitch black, and yellow pupils formed within them. His muscles grew enormous as he brought his arms down.

Naruto remained unimpressed. "So you're some kind of bat demon, eh?" He asked.

"You're half right, kid," Kakudo said as the dark matter clung to his body. "My mother was, indeed, a bat demon. I inherited her appearance, but I inherited my strength from my boar demon father."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Naruto asked impatiently. "Show me your new found strength."

Kakudo smirked. "Gladly. Let's begin round two, shall we?" He asked. Then he vanished.

Naruto tensed up a bit. Last time, he could follow his movements perfectly. But this time was different. This time, he couldn't see anything, and that meant that Kakudo had the advantage.

"**Kit! Jump Left!"** Kyubi ordered. Naruto obeyed without question and leapt swiftly to the left as far as he could. As he did so, he felt something brush across his cheek.

Kakudo slung his fist at Naruto, who evaded at the last second by jumping left. His fist slammed into the wall, knocking it down completely.

Naruto landed and stared at the enormous hole of what used to be the wall. He gulped nervously.

Kakudo withdrew his arm and looked over at Naruto. "Do you see my power? Do you now realize that your efforts are for nothing?" The demon asked.

"Shut up!" Naruto snapped. "As long as I have the will to fight, I'll beat you somehow." _'Shit! What am I gonna do now?_'

"**Listen Kit,**' Kyubi said, "**I know that you never got proper training on how to use the three-tailed state, so I'll be your eyes. I can process things much faster than you can, so I can tell you where he is moving. You just have to be ready to follow my orders. Understand?"**

Naruto nodded. Kakudo vanished again, and Kyubi yelled, "**Move to the right!"** Naruto quickly shot his body to the right just in time to avoid the attack, which formed an enormous crater.

"**He's coming back! Jump!"** Naruto obeyed, just missing Kakudo's fist.

However, Kakudo acted quickly, and jumped with Naruto. He quickly slammed his fist into Naruto's chest before he could do anything. The impact echoed through the room as Naruto sailed through the air and slammed into the wall, knocking out a good chunk of it as well. The wall crumbled down, taking Naruto with it.

To a normal person, that attack would have crushed every bone in their body. But to Naruto, it just hurt really badly. He pushed the chunks of stone off of his head and shook the small pieces of debris out of his hair. He saw Kakudo standing still, apparently awaiting Naruto's next attack. He folded his bat like wings behind his back.

_'That didn't work. He could use his wings to gain speed on me,_' Naruto thought, holding his wounded chest. Even with Kyubi's healing abilities, it still hurt alot. 'Now what?'

"**Hmm..."** Kyubi said, "**What about those needles that emo kid gave you?"**

It took Naruto a few seconds to figure out he was talking about Haku. Naruto's red eyes lit up as he dug through his pouch. He retrieved three needles. Ones that could dispell demonic chakra. He just had to make sure he didn't stick himself with one, or he was as good as dead. He placed the needles back into his pouch and began to think.

Naruto grinned as he formulated his plan. When Naruto told Kyubi, Kyubi seemed impressed. "**I'm impressed, kit. Who would have thought that there was a brain behind that thick skull of yours?**"

Naruto growled in annoyance, but ignored him Kyubi for the moment. Right now, he had bigger fish to fry.

Kakudo stood a few meters away from Naruto, waiting for him to strike. Naruto flickered through a hand seal and quickly pulled out a shuriken.

Naruto got out of the rubble and stood four meters away form his opponent.

"Well," Kakudo asked, "Are you coming or what?"

"Okay, but remember," Naruto said, "You asked for it."

Naruto sprinted at Kakudo and threw his vacant fist at Kakudo. Kakudo easily sidestepped and threw a punch at Naruto. Naruto premeditated this and ducked just before the demon threw his fist. Naruto latched himself to Kakudo's arm and withdrew the needles.

Kakudo started slinging his arm wildly in attempt to remove Naruto from his arm. But Naruto clung for dear life. He knew that this was his only chance to strike Kakudo.

With one thrust of his arm, Naruto embedded the needles into Kakudo's arm before allowing himself to let go. Naruto slammed into Kakudo's arm and flew to the wall. This time, however, the impact was less servere.

Naruto dropped and landed on his feet. He quickly wiped the blood from his mouth away. _'If I remember correctly, it doesn't take too long for the needles to take affect,_' Naruto thought, _'So all I have to do is stall for time._'

"Enough of these games!" Kakudo yelled as he removed the needles and crushed them in his hand. "We end this now." Kakudo ran as fast as he could at Naruto.

But, the thing was, it wasn't fast enough. Even without Kyubi's help, Naruto felt that he could dodge Kakudo's attacks with ease.

When Kakudo swung, Naruto dodged. When Kakudo kicked, Naruto jumped and punched Kakudo right in the nose. After a few rounds of this, Kakudo became suspicious.

_'What the hell is going on?_' Kakudo thought as he created distance between Naruto and himself. _'A few moments ago, I could dodge his attacks and strike him with ease. Now he's turned the tables._' He looked down at his arm. _'It must have been those damn needles he stuck in my arm. They must have been poisoned._'

"Hey!" Naruto shouted. "Are you gonna make me wait or what?"

Kakudo growled in anger at this comment. He was beginning to feel light headed, so he started walking towards Naruto. "You little bastard! I'll kill you for what you did to my body," Kakudo said.

When Kakudo was halfway to Naruto, Naruto saw his chance and threw his shuriken at Kakudo. He swiftly caught it and threw it down. Kakudo took this as an insult.

"How dare you disrespect me? I am Lord Kakudo of the bat demon tribe," Kakudo said.

Naruto smirked. "You don't look like a bat to me," He pointed out.

Kakudo froze in place and felt around his body. He felt his forehead, but there was no antennae. He felt his shoulder blades, but there were no wings. Everything on his body had returned to normal. He snarled at Naruto with hatred.

"How dare you?" Kakudo demanded. "You will die."

"Now!" Naruto yelled spontaniously. Kakudo gave him a puzzling look.

The shuriken Naruto had thrown previously transformed from a shuriken to a shadow clone and latched itself to Kakudo's back. Kakudo gasped in shock and tried to reach around and remove the clone, but the clone only tightened it's grip.

"Any day now!" The clone yelled as it fought to stay on.

"Oh, right," Naruto said and brought his hands into the tiger seal. "Explode!" He yelled.

Kakudo's eyes widened in realization. _'That kid turned his shadow clone into a shuriken. And he made the clone into a...a...a chakra bomb!_'

It was too late for Kakudo to do anything, because the clone smirked, emitted a bright flashing light, and imploded.

Smoke enveloped Kakudo. Naruto knew that this wouldn't kill Kakudo, but he also knew that it would buy him some time for his next attack. He focused his chakra to his feet.

"**Kit, please reconsider your attack,"** Kyubi pleaded.

"Why?" Naruto asked. "This is my latest attack, and it kicks ass."

"**Yes, but wouldn't your traditional rasengan be a better choice?"** Kyubi asked.

Naruto shook his head. "No way. That attack is useless against someone like him," Naruto stated.

"**Fine,"** Kyubi sounded like a small kid that was forced into doing something he didn't want to do.

Naruto saw his chance. The smoke was clearing and he could see that Kakudo was vulnerable. Naruto ran as fast as his legs would carry him at Kakudo. When he was close enough, he pulled back his leg and swung it swiftly at Kakudo's private area. "Demon Chakra Ball Kick!" Naruto yelled as his foot made contact with a sickening sound.

Kakudo's eyes widened as wide as they could as he shot to the ceiling like a rocket. He had never before felt that amount of pain in his life (or after life). The top half of Kakudo's body shot through the ceiling, while his legs were the only things visible from the floor. He could feel his manhood departing.

"That was so degrading," Kyubi reluctantly commented.

"Well it worked, didn't it?" Naruto asked.

Kyubi sighed.

Suddenly, the ceiling burst, and Kakudo fell clumsily down to the floor. He was still gripping his crotch in pain.

"What the hell is wrong with you kid? What kind of...sneaky...underhanded...degrading attack was that?" Kakudo demanded inbetween breaths.

Naruto grinned. "It's an attack of my own creation. I call it the Demon Chakra Ball Kick," Naruto exclaimed with pride. "You see, what I do is channel Kyubi's chakra to my foot, and let it out when I strike your privates. Riyu helped with the attack idea, and I perfected it." Naruto finished as he began to transform to his original self.

"Yes," Kakudo said as he wearilly stood up, still holding his crotch. "That is definitely something like the chosen one was said to do." He paused. "You are worthy of the test." Kakudo did one handed hand seals.

"What test?" Naruto asked, now back to normal. But he never got his answer. For when Kakudo stopped on a seal, Naruto's world went dark. (again)

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_Naruto awoke (again) to find himself in one of Konoha's parks. He was on the top of a hill, and he could see the Hokage monument and how the construction workers were done with Tsunade's statue._

_But that wasn't what caught Naruto's eye. What caught his eye wasn't a monument, an animal, nor a building. It was a girl his age. She was very beautiful, in Naruto's opinion. She had long indigo hair with a purple jacket on. He recognized her to be Hyuga Hinata. Naruto soon found himself jealous at what she was doing. She was kissing someone._

_The other man started out blurry, but then he began to come into focus. The man was wearing orange pants, a black-orange jacket, and...he had three whisker marks on his...cheeks. Naruto's eyes widened as he realized that it was him, Uzumaki Naruto, that was making out with the Hyuga heiress. And they both seemed to be enjoying it very much. Actually, it seemed more passionate than enjoyable._

_For an unknown reason, Naruto couldn't help but smile at the sight. It seemed perfect. Completely and utterly perfect. Then, suddenly, everything went white._

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Naruto awoke (again) to find Kakudo looking at him thoughtfully. He had a smile on his face.

"Ahhh," He said calmly and happily. "Unnoticed love. How pure and worth fighting for."

"What do you-" Naruto tried to ask, but Kakudo silenced him with a wave of his hand. (no chakra was involved)

Kakudo smiled. "You pass."

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(Readies flame shield) I know that I took freaking forever to update. I'm am so sorry. There are multiple reasons why I took so long. Here's the list. If you don't care, just scroll on down and review. If you do, then keep reading.

Okay, the biggest reason this took so long is because my family got a new computer to replace the crappy one, but I alread had the chapter half done on the old computer. And the old computer got put into my room, and my dad promised that I would get internet shortly. It's been a few weeks, and I still don't have internet. So I caved and went and bought a flash drive a few days ago. I stuck the chapter on there, and I used that to get it to the new computer. That thing cost me $35.

Okay, reason number two is because my house just got wifi. Wifi + Mario Kart DS hours of me playing the game.

Oh, and if anyone has a Nintendo DS, Mario Kart DS, and wifi, please give me your friend code. I will give you mine, and that way I can have someone else to race with that I kinda know.

Oh yeah, and about Naruto's attack called the Demon Chakra Ball Kick, my friend Nicholas came up with it and described it, and I thought it was funny. So I promised him I would use it in the story.

Okay, now I'll answer reviews.

**Boby09:** Welcome to the story. Thanks for the compliment. I'm just surprised you found this story. Thanks for the review!

**Pyro-chan the dragon king: **All I ask is that you tolerate him. Please don't kill me for not updating sooner. Thanks for the review!

**Major Hinata Fan: **Yeah, well now I have a great computer, so hopefully it doesn't crash for a long time. Thanks for the review!

**BlondeKell:** Thanks. I wasn't sure if it would be funny or not. Turns out it was. Thanks for the review!

**DualX:**Yep! A lot of people have figured that out already, but it's good that you jumped in too. You might have a good shot at figuring out why I called the story Fusion. Thanks for the reviews, and all of those faces.

**Jcbb:** Fusion will be mentioned soon, but it will take place towards the end of the story. Thanks for the review!

**DragonMan180:** Don't worry! They will meet him later on. I promise. (strikes Lee's good guy pose) Thanks for the review!

**Almostinsane:** No worries there. Guess what, I found out that Masashi is planning to put Naruto and Hinata together. I found an interview with Kishimoto-sensei that says this. Thanks for the review!

**Weasel Debater:** I don't blame ya'.

**RasenganFin:** I hope that you haven't forgotten this story. And I freakin love your story so far. I'm sorry I haven't reviewed lately. I've tried to, but I've been busy. Thanks for the review!

**Badlevel50percent:** Now you know what demon came out. I'm sorry I didn't update faster. Thanks for the review!

And to anyone who cares, RasenganFin got his first story out. It's called Hinata's Guardian. If you haven't checked it out yet, then you should. It's a pretty darn good story.

Thank for being patient. And, when it comes out, be sure to check out ANBU26's story. I'm kinda helping him write it, so it will be good.

Also, I made an AMV. I would really appreciate it if you all would check it out and let me know how I did on it. There is a link to it on my profile page.

Remember, 5 reviews or no update. (I promise this time. The next chapter will come out soon)

See-ya later!


	13. Ch 12 The Deathly Vision

(A/N) You see! I'm not so lazy after all! And this is the last chapter of the temple! Yay!

This chapter is depressing then the others so far. Just thought I'd warn ya'll.

Disclaimer: To keep from being sued, I will say this: I don't own Naruto. But I do own Riyu and Zulku, so ask before you take.

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Naruto stared at Kakudo baffled. "What do you mean I pass?" He asked.

Kakudo smiled at Naruto. "You see, kid. When I was given this position, I was told to give the possible chosen one a test. It was a test to see what was truely in your heart. Basically, I was looking for love, or something at least as good as love, that was worth fighting for." Kakudo answered. "Tell, me. Is there anyone that you love?"

"Umm..." Naruto said as he thought of people. _'Let's see. I used to like Sakura-chan, but now I see her more as a sister. Uhh...'_ He thought. After a few more minutes, Naruto gave up. "Nope. Can't think of anyone."

Kakudo chuckled. "That's exactly why I called it unnoticed love. You're so clueless, you don't even know that your in love with someone that has always loved you," The demon teased.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"Do you remember the vision?" He asked. Naruto nodded. "Good. Then I'll let you figure the rest out on your own. Now, move along to the next floor."

Naruto wanted to ask more questions, but decided to give in and do as he was told. He turned around and noticed a very important detail. He turned back to Kakudo."There aren't any stairs," Naruto pointed out.

Kakudo gave Naruto a puzzled look, glanced over Naruto's shoulder, and then smiled apologetically. "Oh, sorry about that," He said. Kakudo snapped his fingers twice, and stairs appeared instantly on the side of the room. "There ya' go, so hurry up."

"Okay," Naruto said. He ran over to the stairs. Once at the bottom of them, Naruto stopped and turned back to the demon and pointed at his friends. "Neh, what about them?" He asked.

Kakudo looked back at the others and then back at Naruto and smiled. "Don't worry. I'll take care of 'em," He said.

Naruto nodded, though he didn't know if he meant that he was going to heal or hurt them. Naruto decided to trust him. He turned back to the stairs and began to climb them rapidly. As soon as Naruto was gone, Kakudo turned back to Team 7 and sighed. "Well, I better hurry before that brat grabs the map. Now let's see, who here is in the worst condition?" He asked himself. He decided it was Kakashi, and walked towards him.

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"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy," Naruto said as he walked down a narrow hallway that led to a wooden door, rubbing his hands together greedily. "I know that the demon said that the map was the main treasure, but I'm sure that there are gems, gold coins, and other treasure chests in the treasure room."

Naruto had climbed a few more staircases, and now knew that he was at the very top of the tower. The only thing that separated him from his treasure was the wooden door in front of him. When he reached it, he paused at the door in anticipation. Who knew what was on the other side of that door. Naruto gulped nervously and turned the door knob and pushed. The door creaked open slowly, and Naruto slid inside. As soon as Naruto was in, the door slammed itself shut.

_'Whoa. Now THAT was creepy,'_ He thought as he turned to see the treasure.

He was severely disappointed. In the room was a stone pedestal that rose from the ground up to Naruto's chest. On top of that was a small chest. There was nothing around the chest. No gold, no jewels, not even weapons. There was a small opening in the ceiling over the chest, and a little light shone down on it.

Naruto sighed angrily as he walked to the chest. 'This damn map had better be worth it,' Naruto thought.

Naruto opened the chest slowly, carefully making sure there was no other trap. Once it was all the way opened, Naruto looked inside and found a old, brown sheet of paper. It was folded up twice, and string was tied around it.

Naruto hastily grabbed the map, released the string, and unfolded the map. He was disappointed again. There really wasn't anything special about the map. It was brown, and not even Otogakure was on it, so it had to be old. The map was covered with dust, and there were drawings of sea creatures in the waters. There were also drawings of strange monsters that covered the lands.

Naruto was about to fold the map up and walk away, but then the strangest thing happened. The map vibrated, so Naruto instinctively released it. But it didn't fall. It hovered where Naruto had let it go. This intrigued Naruto.

The map moved over to the chest and hovered over it. Naruto reached and tried to pull it down, but it wouldn't budge. "This is really weird," Naruto said to himself.

Suddenly, light began to emit from the map, followed by a blinding flash. Naruto instinctively brought his hands over his eyes. When the light settled, Naruto removed his arms. He gasped in shock when he looked over at the map. There was a small, fat, and bald man wrapped in a red robe hovering next to the map. He glared angrilly at Naruto.

"Greetings, I am the spirit guardian of the resting place of the Map of Destiny. My name is Akira, and it is an honor to meet you," The small spirit said. He then bowed to Naruto.

"Uhh, hey. I'm Uzumaki Naruto, nice to meet ya'," Naruto said as he scratched the back of his head nervously.

Akira smiled. "I already know who you are, Uzumaki Naruto. You are the one chosen to bear the map. And I am here to help you learn how to use it," He said.

Naruto tilted his head. "How to...use it?" He repeated.

"That's right. This map can do something no other map can do. It can see into the future." Akira stated.

Naruto's eyes lit up. "Really?" He asked excitedly.

Akira nodded. "Yes, but it can only be used once every other year. And it's not that specific."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"It's simple. If you wanted to see your future, it would show you the next big thing that would happen to you. Let's say you save the world in a few years. However, you got married a few months before that. You would see yourself getting married instead of yourself saving the world. Understand?" Akira asked.

Naruto nodded slightly. "I think so. So it shows the next thing instead of the greatest thing." He surmised.

"Exactly," Akira said.

"Well, then how do I do it?" Naruto asked.

"Do what?" Akira asked.

"You know, make it show you the future." Naruto said.

"Well, what you would do is hold the map in your hands and say: 'I wish to see the future of ' and then whatever it is you want to see. So think well and hard."

Naruto nodded and lowered his head in thought._ 'Let's see, If I have one shot at seeing the future, I have to think of something good. Hmm...I know! If I ask to see the future of Konoha, it will show me becoming Hokage. That would definitely be huge!'_ Naruto thought with a sly smile.

"Okay, I know what I wanna see," He proclaimed.

Akira was shocked. "A-are you sure? It took you a total of ten seconds to figure out what you want to see?" Naruto nodded with a 'yep.' "Well, then take hold of the map and waste, I mean use your wish."

"Okay, stand back," Naruto said. He grabbed the map with both hands and looked down onto it. 'I still don't see why this thing is a map in the first place,' He thought. Naruto cleared his throat and began talking. "I wish to see the future of Konohagakure, my village."

Akira's expression became understanding. _'So it seems he's not blowing his wish on something stupid after all,'_ He thought.

Suddenly, a bright flash engulfed the room.

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_Naruto found himself on the outskirts of Konoha, floating in mid-air. When he looked down onto his village, his home, he gasped in horror. It looked like hell. It was horrible. The streets were littered with dead corpses and rubble from buildings. The entire village was engulfed in flames. The Hokage Monument was no more than a hole in the side of the mountain. The academy Naruto had went to as a young child was completely destroyed._

_Blood flowed like a river down the streets and out of the village. The enormous walls that surrounded the village were knocked completely down on all sides. Fire spread throughout the surrounding forest, spreading like wildfire. There was nothing left standing._

_What horrified Naruto the most, though, were the bodies that he could identify. He saw Sakura's body lying in an awkward position, and missing her left arm. Blood covered her body, and her eyes were wide open. He saw Kiba and Akamaru, both had at least a dozen shuriken and kunai in their bodies each. Shino didn't even have a head. He saw Iruka's dismembered body hanging from a destroyed building. And the thing that horrified Naruto the most was seeing Hinata slowly inch her way to his own body. Hinata was missing her left arm and right leg. Even so, she kept herself going. When she finally got there, she smiled one last time and whispered "I...l-l-love y-you, N-Naruto-ku..." Then she died, holding on to Naruto's hand._

_Tears welled in Naruto's eyes as he watched this. His entire home was destroyed, and everyone was dead. There was only one building standing, however, and it was the Hokage Tower. Naruto almost felt relieved, but then he realized who was standing on it. Orochimaru was laughing maniacally from the roof of the tower. And lying next to him were the bodies of Tsunade and Jiraiya._

_Realization hit Naruto. Orochimaru had attacked the village in a surprise attack. He killed everyone because no one was prepared. They had no one helping them._

_Naruto couldn't take anymore, and wished with all his heart to get out of this vision. This deathly vision. Suddenly, the light flashed again, and Naruto silently vowed to himself that he would not let this happen to his home as he became engulfed by the light. Never!_

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Naruto's eyes came into focus and he saw the map in his hands. It felt like it was on fire. Naruto's eyes were still wide and tears were welled up inside of them. His arms were twitching, and he found it amazing that he could still stand. He turned to Akira who looked at Naruto with sympathy.

"I'm sorry that you had to see that," He said, then he averted his eyes to the ground.

Naruto fought to hold back tears. "How long?" He asked as suppressed a sniffle.

Akira turned his eyes back to Naruto. "How long what?" He asked.

"How long until it happens?" Naruto asked. He didn't think that he was gonna like the answer.

"What's today?" Akira asked, trying to prolong the answer.

"Monday," Naruto answered blankly, still traumatized by what he had seen.

"Let's see, that would make it...umm...hmm...let's see-"

"Goddamn it! Answer me now!" Naruto demanded with tears falling from his eyes.

"Two months from this Thursday," Akira answered reluctantly.

Naruto gasped. So he had two months and three days to stop that horrible future from happening. "What can I do to...to...to stop this from happening?" Naruto asked, his eyes desperately searching Akira for the answer.

An idea suddenly struck Akira, but he didn't show it. "I know of a way, but first you must answer my question. What would you do to stop this from happening?" He asked.

Naruto responded instantly. "I would fight until I couldn't fight anymore. I would give my life to protect my home."

"Good, and would you be willing to go on a long and perilous quest?" Akira asked.

Naruto looked at Akira puzzled. "What do you mean by quest?" Naruto asked.

Akira gestured to the map. "You see, kid. This thing is a map for a reason."

"Really?" Naruto asked.

Akira nodded. "You see, a long time ago, back when many demons roamed the land, there lived a group of siblings that created four different stones for each of their own personalities. The Sapphire of Purity, The Avengers Emerald, Ruby of Intelligence, and the Gem of Courage. When news of these stones got out, many men and demons alike began to come after these siblings. Believe it or not, but Kakudo died while trying to steal one of the stones.

"Anyway," He continued. Naruto was completely captivated. "When four siblings realized that the stones were too much of a hazard, they commissioned me and my clan to build five temples. One for each stone, and one to house the map that they created, for they knew that one day someone would need to use the map. And, for some reason, they decided on a clueless idiot. No offense. They made it to where, if the occasion arose, only certain people could obtain a stone. These people are, basically, preselected. For example, let's say that there are two very courageous young men. One of them is more courageous, so he is chosen." He stopped.

"I get it. So it's like the most courageous of our generation?" Naruto asked.

"Exactly right. And so, this temple was made last, to house the map for the stones to be found. Now, the stones can only be grabbed by the chosen person, because it is registered to them." Akira said.

"But I still don't get how these stones can stop that future," Naruto said.

"You see, each stone increases the users abilities ten fold. And if you can manage to willingly gather all four stones together, you can create a uniquely powerful weapon, the likes of which you cannot imagine."

"That's cool and all," Naruto said, "But I don't get how I'm supposed to find them. I mean, there is nothing on the map right now that says where they are." Naruto observed as he looked over the map.

Akira smiled. "Oh? Well, watch this," He said. He placed his index finger on the map and said, "Awaken!" Suddenly, the map pulsated and the words "Haruno Sakura" appeared over the outline of a diamond and over that were the words "The Ruby of Intelligence" over what appeared to be Wave country. Akira looked down at the map. "It would seem that the first diamond is the Ruby of Intelligence, is meant for a lady named Haruno Sakura, and is somewhere in Wave country."

Naruto's eyes widened. 'Sakura-chan?' He thought. Then he noticed something. "Hey, I thought you said there were four stones. Where are the other three?" He asked.

"Well, each stone shows the way to the other. By holding the Ruby of Intelligence close to the map, you will be able to find the next stone." Akira answered.

"I see," Naruto said. He decided it was time for him to leave, so he began to fold up the map. Akira looked at Naruto with care.

"I see that you are leaving," He observed.

Naruto nodded. "Yep. If I wanna stop this future from happening, then I have to get going." He answered.

"I understand. Well, it looks like there is only one thing left for you to do," Kakudo said as the building began to rumble.

Naruto looked around and then back at Akira, who was disappearing. "What do you want me to do?" He asked.

Akira smiled as he vanished into nothing. "Do...the impossible," He said, his voice echoing throughout the room.

Now the rumbling was much more violent, and chunks of stone began to fall. Naruto tucked the map into his pocket and bolted out the door as the room began to collapse.

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Riyu's eyes opened slowly to see Kakudo standing over him with a smile. "How ya' doing?" He asked.

Riyu instinctively rolled away and pulled out a kunai. He looked around and saw Kakashi sitting against a wall, reading his book. And Sakura was awake and looking at Riyu like he was an idiot. Riyu turned back to Kakudo. "What's going on? Where is Naruto?" He asked.

"He made it through to the next floor, so I decided to heal his companions. I didn't heal you too well, just enough to make it out of the temple." Kakudo answered.

Riyu relaxed and put his kunai away and turned to Sakura. "How long has it been?" He asked.

"I don't know. I've been awake for at least ten minutes. I just hope that Naruto-kun is okay," She said. Riyu looked at Sakura suspiciously. 'Since when does she call him Naruto-kun? This might be bad for my bet,' He thought.

Suddenly, there was a slight rumble and Kakudo sighed in relief. "Well, it looks like your friend retrieved the map. Now I can move on," Kakudo already began to fade. Kakashi looked up and closed his book. He placed it in his pouch and walked to the others.

"Farewell. It's been fun," Kakudo said. "Tell that little brat that he gave me a good fight." Kakashi nodded. And then Kakudo vanished.

Soon, the three ninja could hear the hurried footsteps of their other teammate.

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Zabuza still remained in the exact spot Kakashi and Sakura had left him. His body had yet to recover, and he had been lying there for at least seven hours. Suddenly, he heard footsteps. He arched his head to see who it was that was coming, and was relieved to see a bruised and beaten Haku emerge from the shadows.

"Hello, Zabuza," Haku greeted. He walked to the wall across from Zabuza and slumped down against it.

"Heh, so I take it you got beat as well?" Zabuza asked. Haku nodded.

"Yes, Uzumaki Naruto and Uzuka Riyu. Both of them proved to be excellent fighters. I got my wish for a rematch after all, and I still lost," Haku said.

Suddenly, the temple began to rumble, and both men grinned at each other. "Well I'll be damned. They actually managed to get the map after all," Zabuza said with happiness in his voice.

"Yes, so now we may pass on," Haku said.

Both closed their eyes and smiled to themselves as they vanished from this world, and moved on to the next one.

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When Naruto reached his team, he was panting heavily. "We have got to get out of here now!" He ordered. "This whole place is gonna collapse any second."

Riyu and Sakura nodded. Kakashi started running. "Okay, follow me," He ordered. The genin obeyed and ran with him down the stairs. They rushed through the floor below and came to the long staircase.

"So how are we gonna get down in time?" Sakura asked as they ran.

"Don't worry, we can take the way you and Kakashi-sensei took to get here," Riyu answered. He already felt the need to stop and rest.

"No we can't," Kakashi said," I had to destroy the bridge in order to stop the undead from killing us. We can use the way the two of you took."

They reached the floor and stopped. Naruto rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Uhh, no we can't. Riyu and I kinda had to do the same thing you did." He said.

"Then we're trapped here?!" Sakura asked, horrified that her life would end right then.

Suddenly, Naruto was hit by an idea. "No, just stay behind me," He ordered. He formed a rasengan in his hand and ran at the temple wall. "RASENGAN!" He shouted as he slammed it into the wall, taking it out completely. The four ninja fell to the cavern floor and all landed on their feet. They distanced themselves from the tower before turning back to it. The entire thing collapsed upon itself in a matter of seconds.

Then, it all stopped. The debris lied on top of something that was still holding it it. Then, suddenly, it all exploded. In the puff of smoke, beady red eyes were seen glowing.

"Naruto, remember when we wondered what that pentagon thinggy was for?" Riyu asked without tearing his eyes off of the creature. "I think this answers your question." Naruto nodded.

The enormous creature suddenly rushed the group, and every one became scared. "Let's get the hell outta here!" Naruto yelled.

Everyone sprinted as fast as they could to the small tunnel. This didn't stop the creature. It just pushed straight through, taking the walls of dirt down as it pursued it's prey.

"Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!" Riyu yelled as it got closer. In order from front to back Were: Sakura, Kakashi, Naruto, and Riyu. So Riyu would be the first to die.

"There's no way we're going to make it!" Sakura cried as she felt here legs becoming heavy.

"We have to keep going no matter what!" Naruto yelled, remembering the vision and his promise.

"We should be getting closer to the outside!" Kakashi yelled. "I can feel the wind!"

An idea struck Riyu. _'Wind, eh? If he can feel wind, then I can try my jutsu. This thing will kill us if I don't. It will fire us in a random order, but-'_ "Everyone, brace yourself!" Riyu yelled.

Without waiting for a response, he quickly sped through his handseals, stopping on the dragon seal. "Wind shot no jutsu!"

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Tsunade despereately tried to stop her papers from falling from her table and to keep herself from falling as well as the violent earthquake raged on. Bookcases, vases, and papers were falling everywhere.

Shizune slammed the door open. She rushed in as best she could, clinging to the wall to keep her footing. "What in the world is going on, Tsunade-sama?" She asked.

"I'm not sure, it might be an earthquake!" Tsunade yelled as the tremors began to get worse. She found no point in holding down her papers as they all flew off of the desk.

"But how? I don't remember any earthquakes ever taking place in Konoha!" Shizune said as she tried to keep herself from falling.

"I'm not sure!" Tsunade replied. She looked out of her window and saw that the village wasn't doing too well either. Everybody was screaming in panic and trying to keep balance. "Let's hope that this doesn't last too long!"

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On the outskirts of the village, Team Guy was just about to leave when they began to feel the tremors.

"Everybody, cling to the ground now!" Guy ordered as he dropped to the ground. Everyone obeyed.

'What on earth is going on here?' Neji thought. He activated his byakugan and saw that this was no ordinary earthquake. The source was coming from a single location. Right in the center of Konoha.

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_Hinata was standing at the alter with her husband-to-be, Uzumaki Naruto. All of their friends and family were gathered together for the momentous occasion. This was the happiest day of Hinata's life. The reverine looked at the couple with a smile._

_"Do you, Hyuga Hinata, take Uzumaki Naruto to be your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" He asked, and then took a deep breath._

_"I do," Hinata answered lovingly as she looked her groom in the eyes._

_"And do you, Uzumaki Naruto, take Hyuga Hinata to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, from this day forward, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" He asked._

_"You bet," Naruto answered._

_"Then I now pronounce you Uzumaki Naruto and Uzumaki Hinata. You may kiss the bride."_

_Riyu elbowed Naruto in the ribs softly, saying "you lucky dog." Hinata gulped and leaned in for the kiss. With this kiss, they would be married, and they would spend their lives together forever. When their faces were mere inches apart, everything began to rumble violently as if there were an earthquake._

_"I didn't think the earth was supposed to move until the honeymoon?" Riyu yelled as he ran for cover. Hinata saw Naruto drift farther and farther away, until she could not see him anymore. Then, suddenly-_

Hinata opened her eyes quickly as she felt the ground shaking violently. It had all been a dream, but she wished with all of her heart that it had been real. She cast that aside and quickly rose to her feet. She distanced herself from the mine entrance and turned back to it. At the entrance to the mine seemed to be the most violent.

She quickly activated her byakuagan and gasped. She could see enormous pulses emerging from the center of the mine shaft. They were enormous and swift. She also saw an enormous red thing of chakra, and in front of it was a long yellow thing of chakra. Inside that were four people being jumbled around. She caught that one of them had a swirl on their belly. 'Naruto-kun!' She thought.

Hinata deactivated her byakugan. She waited patiently for Naruto and the others to come. She ran over to a tree and grabbed on for dear life.

Suddenly, a figure shot out of the mine's entrance. It was Haruno Sakura. She seemed to be unconcious. Next, Hatake Kakashi shot out, he too was unconcious. Then Riyu shot out of the mine, but he was clinging to conciousness. Then, last but not least, her precious Naruto shot out of the mine. He was fully awake, but looked scared at the same time.

Hinata almost ran to catch Naruto, but stopped when she saw what happened next. The mine shaft entrance exploded in smoke, and a giant creature shot out from it and at Naruto's team. Hinata could only watch in horror as the creature got closer.

Naruto looked back and saw the creature, and then turned back to Riyu. He called out his name. Said ninja turned back to Naruto. Naruto stiffened his legs, and Riyu knew immediately what to do. They had done the same thing the mission to Tea country. Riyu stiffened his legs, and Naruto formed a rasengan in his hand. He got to Riyu and pushed himself off of him and at the enormous green creature.

"Eat this!" Naruto yelled. "Rasengan!" Naruto enhanced his rasengan with Kyubi's chakra and made it thrice as big as it was normally. Naruto threw his rasengan armed fist at the monster, annihilating it completely. It cried in pain as it disappeared.

And at the same time, the earthquake stopped. Riyu became unconscious and hit the ground, along with Kakashi and Sakura.

Hinata sprinted from the tree and towards where Naruto was falling. She extended her arms and caught him, taking her down as well.

Before he passed out, Naruto looked up at Hinata and thought she was an angel. _'The most beautiful angel I have ever seen,'_ He thought. Then he was out cold.

Hinata laid Naruto down gently and looked around at the fallen Team 7. _'I've go to get them to the hospital right away,'_ She thought.

Quickly thinking, she ran to get help. She had to find someone, and fast.

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Naruto's eyes slowly fluttered open to find ceiling tiles. He looked to his left and saw that Riyu, Sakura, and Kakashi were all fast asleep in each of their own hospital beds. Sakura's mother was looking down at her daughter with worry, tears welling in her eyes.

Naruto tried to move his right arm, but something heavy prevented him from doing that. He looked down and found Hyuga Hinata asleep at his bed side. She looked very peaceful, her hand gripping Naruto's blankets. Naruto decided not to bother her, so he let her lay there and decided to just stare at her, remembering the first vision he had. He moved a strand of hair out of her face.

"Eh-hem," Came a voice from the door. Naruto looked up and saw Tsunade standing in the doorway. "You know she hasn't left your side since you got in here," She said.

Naruto looked down at the sleeping Hyuga heiress and then back up at her. "Why?" He asked.

Tsunade shrugged. "I don't know, but she is the one that brought you in. She went and gathered some other shinobi and had them bring you here. You should thank her when she wakes up."

"Wait, when did we get in. And what time is now?" He asked.

"Let's see, you got into this room at exactly 5:35p.m. That means that you were on a mission that should have taken an hour. Instead, it took you ten hours. And right now it is 7:21a.m. And it's Tuesday." Tsunade said.

Naruto lowered his head. 'So that means I have two months and two days to save the village,' He thought.

I want an explanation, brat, on why the mission took so long," She said, snapping Naruto back to reality.

"But Oba-chan, you wouldn't believe what we went through. You see, first we had to go through this-"

"Shhhh," Tsunade said. She pointed to the others in the room. "I want the explanation, but when everyone is awake. So go back to sleep, and in a few more hours, you will get to speak. Understood?" She asked.

Naruto had no choice. She was the freakin hokage! He couldn't say no. So he nodded his head, which earned a "Good" from Tsunade before she left the room and shut the door.

Naruto turned his attention back to the sleeping Hyuga heiress. He watched her sleep and lost track of time. He soon fell asleep with his hand resting upon hers.

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This fluff is only the tip of the iceburg. Now you can expect faster updates, I promise. I'm now to the point of my story where I wanna furiously type because all of my ideas that were cooped up in my head are now finally able to be released. And as soon as I get internet in my room, the updates will be much faster, because I won't have to fight my family for the faster computer that has internet.

And now my parents want me to lay off of the Naruto stuff. They say that I am too preoccupied. I tell them that I have fun typing, but they don't freaking listen to me!

And now, I guess, I'll answer reviews.

**almostinsane:** I'm still trying to find that stupid interview. It's so annoying! When I find it, I'll let you know. Thanks for the review!

**Boby09: **It seems that alot of people liked that attack. Thanks for the review!

**T.O.B:** It's good to hear from you again. I thought that you had lost interest in the story, but now I see it's that prison we call school's fault. That figures. And that Avatar/Naruto thing makes alot of sense. And about the necklace, you are basically right, but there are a few more surprises to it. In the next chapter, you will learn of the drawbacks of the necklace. Thanks for the review!

**Weasel Debater:** Actually, my friend is in middle school. I asked some kids/teens in my neighborhood to come up with original jutsu. He just had the best idea. This other guy came up with the rasengan eye, so his idea was quickly shot down. And to answer your question: Why not?

**RasenganFin:** I'm full of originality. Thanks for the review!

**pyro-chan the dragon king: **This chapter opens the gate to fluff. There may have been a little bit of fluff in this chapter, but the next chapter will be filled with fluff. I promise. Thanks for the review!

**Dragon Man 180:** That's not a bad idea. I'm gonna seriously consider that attack. And yes, that is what it meant. Thanks for the review!

**badlevel50percent:** You're welcome and thank you. Thanks for the review!

**Aracade: **I know. I thought that was funny when my friend demonstrated the attack on another friend. Thanks for the review.

And if anyone wants to talk with me, visit my forum. Its called Naruto/Hinata fans only. If you don't want to search, just visit my profile.

Remember, 5 reviews or no update.


	14. Ch 13 Recovery

I'm passing English 2 with a 100.6, and I still can't come up with better descriptive sentences. This sucks.

Also, for anyone that actually reads the author notes, this chapter will have a summary of the last few chapters, in case any of you don't feel like going back and reading it all again.

**Disclaimer:** I don't not never own Naruto. (triple negatives suck, don't they?)

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Riyu's eyes slowly fluttered open as consciousness came back to him. He yawned and scratched the back of his head. When he looked around, he found that he was in a hospital room instead of his one-roomed apartment. At first, he found that weird. Then the events of the previous day came flooding back to him. The mission, the temple, the fight with Haku, and then the fight with that demon, Kakudo. The last thing that Riyu remembered was Naruto pushing off of his legs. Then he passed out.

_'Oh well, at least that's the last temple we'll ever have to go through ever again,'_ Riyu thought. If only he knew what was to take place during the next two months.

Riyu looked over to his right and saw the still form of Naruto, sleeping soundly. Riyu sighed in relief to see his best friend alive. But there was something different. Whenever Naruto usually slept, he wore a solid expression. This time, however, he was smiling one of his enormous smiles.

Riyu wondered what was making him smile like that. Riyu got up in his bed and looked over at Naruto. He smiled.

Sitting in a chair next to Naruto's bed was the Hyuga heiress, Hyuga Hinata. She was dead asleep. Her hand was lovingly clutching Naruto's, and, his eyes might have been playing tricks on him, but he could have sworn Naruto's hand was clutching her hand too.

Riyu smiled. _'Holalooya, my bet may have a chance. In your face Kiba,'_ Riyu thought. He turned his attention to the ceiling and decided to kill time by counting the ceiling tiles. There were 52. And after the twenty-fifth time counting, there were still 52.

After half an hour of wasting time, Riyu turned his head left. Sakura was lying next to him asleep, but she was beginning to stir. On the far left side of the room was Kakashi. He was sitting up, reading his perverted book enthusiastically.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, how long have you been up?" Riyu asked. Kakashi's visible eye lifted to see Riyu.

"Good morning Riyu, I didn't even notice you were awake," Kakashi said, which caused Riyu to sweatdrop in anime style. "I've been up for about an hour and a half." Kakashi finished. He then turned his attention back to his precious book.

Riyu sighed and turned his attention back to the ceiling to count the tiles again. _'Let's see, 1, 2, 3, 4...'_

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When Sakura first woke up, she sat up and rubbed her forehead. She felt a few bandages on it and on her cheeks. She looked to her left to see Kakashi reading his book. When she went to say something to him, she was interrupted.

"Don't bother. He's too caught up in his book," Riyu said from beside her. She turned to him.

"Hey Riyu. What do you mean?" She asked.

Riyu chuckled to himself. "I've been up for at least an hour, and the entire time he has been reading that book. Oh, did you know that there are 52 ceiling tiles on the ceiling?" Riyu added jokingly.

Sakura rolled her eyes at his immaturity. She quickly looked around the room again. "Where's Naruto-kun?" She asked.

A shiver ran down Riyu's spine. "He's...uhh...sleeping right next to me." Riyu said. He jestured to his right. "See?"

Sakura leaned forward to get a better view. True enough, Naruto was somewhat asleep. He had a big smile on. Sakura smiled too and laid back down. "I'm glad he's alright," She admitted.

Riyu blinked a few times. "Really? You didn't see..." He stopped himself from finishing. If his suspicions were correct and Sakura did like Naruto, then she would get furious and jealous and take it out on him. She had obviously not seen the sleeping heiress clinging to Naruto's arm.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "See what?" She asked suspicously.

This wasn't good! Riyu had to think quickly, which wasn't his strong suit. He began to search the room over in Naruto's direction in a desperate attempt to find the perfect excuse. "Uhh... I'm talking about that...uhh...ummm..." He looked over and saw a window by Naruto's bedside. He was hit by an idea. "There was this huge eagle at the window. It was hovering there for at least a minute before flying away," He lied.

"Really?" She asked. Riyu nodded hurriedly. Sakura didn't know if he was lying to her or not, but her head hurt too much for her to think about it. She nodded her head in response and lied back down. Riyu sighed in relief. The room fell into an awkward silence.

Kakashi glanced up from his book and chuckled to himself before turning the page of his book.

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As Tsunade walked into the room, the three conscious shinobi's eyes fell upon her. She had figured that everyone would be wide awake, and that they would finally be ready to explain why the mission took so bloody long.

Kakashi hurridly put his book away, while Sakura and Riyu just sat there and stared expectantly at their hokage. Tsunade looked over to the two sleeping teens. She walked over to Naruto and gently shoved his shoulder. "Hey brat, wake up," She ordered. Nothing happened. Tsunade's eye twitched.

This time, she shoved harder, jerking him back and forth. Neither teen woke up. A vein began to pop in Tsunade's forehead. "Why won't he wake up?" She asked herself.

"I have an idea," Riyu spoke up.

Tsunade looked at him curiously. "Do you think you can wake him up?" She asked. He nodded. "Then by all means, go ahead." She stepped back to watch.

Riyu cleared his throat. "Naruto! Free ramen for life!" He yelled. Naruto's eyes instantly shot open and he darted up in bed, sending the unsuspecting Hyuga girl off of her chair, although her hand was still holding his. "Where? Where's the free ramen?!" He asked. His head shot in every direction in search of the free ramen.

Tsunade sighed. _'That was too easy,'_ She thought.

When Naruto saw that everyone's eyes were on him, he realized two things. One: sadly, there was no free ramen. And secondly; He had forced Hinata off of the bed and onto the floor. He turned to see the chair lying on the floor and Hinata lying next to it.

"I'm so sorry Hinata-chan. I didn't mean to do that to you, I swear," Naruto apologized. Hinata stood and fixed her chair before sitting back down in it. She looked over at her crushes worried eyes and blushed. She averted his gaze as she spoke.

"Th-that's okay, N-Naruto-kun, it w-was my f-fault. I-I shouldn't h-have b-b-been lying there in t-the first place," She apologized.

"What do you mean it was your fault. I can't blame you if you fell asleep. It's my fault for waking you up the way I did," Naruto said.

During this conversation, all eyes fell on the two. Tsunade and Kakashi were smirking as they watched the events. Riyu slowly glanced out of the corner of his eye at Sakura. She wore a look of hatred. _'What the hell is __she__ doing here? She should be somewhere far away from him,'_ She thought in a jealous way.

Riyu quickly turned back to Naruto and Hinata.

"I-I guess you're r-right," Hinata admitted. She hated this. Now Naruto would think she was weak.

"Don't worry about it," Naruto said with a smile. Hinata looked up at him and smiled back, the blush still present on her cheeks. They made eye contact and stayed that way for several seconds until Tsunade cleared her throat in a way meant to get attention.

"Now that we're all done apologizing and everyone is awake, I want an explanation of why the mission took so damn long. What started out as a simple investigation mission turned into something big. And I want to know what it was," The Hokage demanded. She turned to Hinata. "You may leave if you want to, Hinata."

Hinata shook her head. "N-no thanks, G-Godaime-sama, if it is alright, I w-would like to s-stay and listen m-myself," Hinata was almost pleading.

Tsunade nodded and turned to Kakashi. "Okay Kakashi, spill it. Why did the mission take so long?" She asked.

Everybody in the room turned their attention to Kakashi as he cleared his throat. "Well, it's as you said. It started out as an investigation mission. Once we got into the mine, it seemed to spiral down. Deep into the heat of Konoha. Once we reached the rocky barrier, we had Riyu take it down. We walked in and found an enormous temple. The Temple of Lost Souls to be exact.

"Once we were inside, we found a huge room with a pentagram in the center and two different hallways leading in different directions. So we split up. Sakura and I took one direction, and Naruto and Riyu took the other. While Sakura and I were traveling down our hallway, we encountered a genjutsu and dispelled it. After that, the hallways began to collapse. Once we were clear from the debris, we soon found ourselves facing Momochi Zabuza," Kakashi said. He tried to keep going, but Tsunade cut him off.

"Zabuza? Momochi Zabuza? I had heard he that he disappeared two years ago, but I never knew he was hiding here in Konoha."

Kakashi shook his head. "No, he died those two years ago. When my team was sent on what sould have been a C-ranked mission, it quickly escalated into an A-ranked mission when he attacked. We fought twice, and he died the second time doing something noble. Anyway, while Sakura and I fought with Zabuza, Naruto and Riyu fought with someone known as Haku. Haku was a young boy that dedicated his life to Zabuza. He soon became stronger than Zabuza himself because of his bloodline limit.

"I don't know the details, but they beat Haku, just as Sakura and I beat Zabuza. We then ran into some traps. None of them were that hard to dodge," Riyu and Naruto could be heard mumbling something to themselves, "but they were clever. After we reached The Tower of Destiny, we met back up with Naruto and Riyu. After we scaled the tower and solved a riddle, thanks to Sakura and Naruto, we came face to face with a human looking demon named Kakudo. He successfully defeated Sakura, Riyu and I, but Naruto managed to defeat him." Kakashi paused for breath.

Naruto beamed when Kakashi mentioned that last part, and Hinata looked at Naruto with admiration.

Tsunade seemed puzzled. "But there is one thing I don't get. If Momochi Zabuza was dead, then how did you fight him?" She asked.

"Oh, he was chosen to be a guardian for the temple. If you died and had done bad things in your life, depending on what you did near your death, whether it was something noble or you were just plainly powerful, you would be sentenced to the temple to guard for a certain number of years. Anyway, Naruto ventured to the top of the tower and retrieved the legendary Map of Destiny. After that, the tower collapsed and we escaped. That's how we ended up here."

Tsunade's eyes were wide. She had stopped listening after the words Map of Destiny. She had heard stories about that map all of her life. She quickly walked over to Naruto. "Naruto, where is the map?" She asked hastily.

Naruto reached into his pocket and produced a small sheet of paper folded into four pieces. For fear it might tear easily, Tsunade took the map from Naruto's hands. She unfolded it and found it to be blank. She eyed it curiously before sighing in defeat. "How could this be The Map of Destiny? There was nothing on it." She said as she handed it back to Naruto.

"Nani?" Naruto asked. He took the map and looked it over. "What, are you blind? It's full of stuff."

Tsunade turned back to see what Naruto was talking about and her eyes widened. The map was not blank in any way. It seemed that, whenever Naruto held it, the map would appear. And if anyone else were to hold it, it would go blank. However, she remembered a loophole. Only one other person could hold the map and read it, and that was the person the bearer of the map loved. So that would mean..."Naruto, you are the bearer of the map?" She asked. Naruto nodded.

"Well, what did you see when you touched the map?" She asked. Naruto's expression went from happy to sad in a second flat. He looked up at Tsunade with sad blue eyes.

"It was aweful Oba-chan. Everyone was dead," He said. And then he began to tell the story that Kakashi couldn't.

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After Naruto finished explaining about what the map showed and about the individual stones, Riyu seemed a little angry.

"What the hell? What kind of names are those? Those names suck. The people that named the stones must be complete and total morons," He commented.

Everyone stared at his as if he were an idiot. "Riyu, I think you're missing the big picture here. We have two months and two days to retrieve those stones that you call stupid, or else we die a horrible and gruesome death," Kakashi said. Riyu went solid, and Sakura gulped nervously. Even though she liked the part about her receiving that Ruby of Intelligence.

Tsunade turned back to Naruto. "Are you absolutely sure?" Naruto nodded. Tsunade growled angrily and slammed her fist into the wall, taking a good chunk out of it. "Damn it all! Why now, of all times. I've got most of my jonin out on important missions. Most of my chunin are gone, and I can't send most of the genin teams.

"Naruto, you and your team has to go. The map only works for you, and eventually the woman you fall in love with," Naruto tilted his head, and both Sakura and Hinata blushed. Tsunade didn't wait for him to respond. "There aren't many other teams. This is a major mission. We will need a byakugan user, and since Neji and his team are already on a mission, I have no choice but to choose Hinata's team to go with yours." Tsunade turned to Hinata. "When I am done speaking, would you please go and inform your teammates?" Hinata nodded. "Good. Since I know I can't force you to go out now, you are to take the rest of the day and all day tomorrow off. You will begin on Thursday, which means that you will have exactly two months to retrieve the stones and come back here. Understood?" She asked.

"Hai," Everyone answered.

"Good. Naruto, since you are the one that is least hurt and suffering from chakra exhaustion, I want you to leave with Hinata and help her find her teammates." Naruto nodded happily. He hated hospitals. Hinata was blushing madly by this point.

"Okay. Everyone else, I want you to rest for the remainder of the day. You may leave tomorrow morning." Tsunade finished. She turned and left the room.

Naruto quickly shot out of bed and grabbed Hinata's hand. He yelled goodbye to everyone as he dragged the blushing heiress out of the room.

Everyone else just sat there in a daze. Sakura and Riyu both turned to each other. "So it's up to us to save Konoha?" Sakura asked.

"I guess so," Kakashi answered. He put his book on his small desk and turned to catch some sleep.

Seeing as there was nothing better to do, Sakura and Riyu went to do the same. But each one had trouble falling asleep, because of the story they had been told, and the future that could turn to reality.

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After visiting Shino and Kurenai, the only one left for Naruto and Hinata to find was Kiba. His mother said that he wasn't at home, so they were now roaming the streets side by side. Hinata was terrified to be walking so close to Naruto, and yet she never wanted to leave his side ever again. Hinata kept stealing glances at her crush, but he never looked at her back. He was too busy trying to find Kiba.

"Where the he...I mean heck could mutt-face be?" Naruto asked out loud. For some reason, he found that he couldn't cuss around Hinata. It was like a curse she had on him.

"I'm s-sure Kiba-kun is out p-playing with A-Akamaru," Hinata offered. Naruto nodded and then dropped his head. Hinata immediately knew that something was wrong. "N-Naruto-kun, what's wrong?" She asked.

Naruto looked at her and flashed her a smile. A smile they both knew was fake. "Well, I'm just tired, that's all. I was on that mission all day yesterday. I had to fight two different people, and both of them were strong. I just wanna find Kiba and get home," He finished. He turned his head back and began looking again.

Hinata felt, deep down in her heart, that Naruto wasn't telling her the whole story. When he described the vision, he only said that everyone and everything in the village was dead. He didn't really explain what he had seen. On top of that, he seemed depressed. Hinata wished she could do something to take the pain away from Naruto.

They continued to walk in silence for another few minutes before they spotted Kiba holding a new dog toy for Akamaru, who was running around Kiba's legs enthusiastically. When Kiba looked up to see Naruto walking with Hinata, he immediately went jealous. "Hey Hinata, what the hell are you doing with this loser?" He asked.

Before Hinata could respond and defend Naruto, he cut her off. "We're looking for you Kiba. My team and your team is being sent off on a two month mission on Thursday to gather 4 stones and save the future of Konoha." Naruto said without enthusiasm. This left Kiba and Hinata shocked. Normally, Naruto would have retorted with a rude comment or something. But he didn't, he was serious through the entire speech.

Kiba nodded slowly and began walking away. The new Naruto was too much for him to handle.

Naruto turned to Hinata. "Well, looks like we're done," He said. Hinata nodded. Before she could bid him a good night, he cut her off for the second time that day. "How about I walk you home?" He offered.

Hinata's heart began to pound rapidly. Naruto, the love of her life, had offered to walk her home. She went beet red as she tried to look into Naruto's eyes, but all she saw was sadness.

"I-I w-w-would l-love for you t-to w-walk m-me h-home, Naruto-kun," Hinata said, then she immediately began poking her fingers together nervously.

"Great, it's this way, right?" He asked. She nodded. "Okay, let's go," With that, they set off towards the Hyuga Mansion.

About halfway there, Naruto found himself wanting to make conversation with the young Hyuga heiress. He was too depressed to say something funny, and he didn't want to say something stupid in front of her, so he was at quite a quandary. He was also nervous about the vision Kakudo had shown him, so that didn't help him. He really wanted to find out if he was falling for Hinata or not. _'Yeah right Naruto, like someone like Hinata would really go for a guy like me. She probably has guys lined up by her father ready to marry her,'_ He thought.

Deciding that he would rather risk saying something stupid rather than saying nothing at all, he decided to speak up. "Do you think we can succeed?" He asked. Hinata looked up at his serious expression and nodded. "There isn't a doubt in my mind. I-I know that, a-as l-long as you b-believe we c-can, I know w-we can," She said reassuringly. Naruto smiled gratefully. "Thanks Hinata-chan."

When the two of them reached to main gates to the Hyuga complex, Hinata turned to Naruto, bowed, and thanked him for walking her home. When she turned to leave, Naruto caught her arm, which caused Hinata to turn and look directly into his eyes. "Naruto-kun?"

"Hinata, do you think that we could, I don't know, train together tomorrow?" He asked as his cheeks slightly went pink. "I mean, since we are going to be on a mission for two months anyway, the best thing we could do would be to come up with our own combo, right?" He tried. Truth was, he always felt better whenever Hinata was around. He just wanted to hang around her a bit more. And since they had tomorrow off, that was the perfect time.

Hinata blushed, smiled, and answered him all at the same time. "I w-w-would lo-ove to Naruto-kun. I'll s-see you tom-morrow m-morning at 10. Wh-here do you want to meet?"

Naruto didn't need to think that hard. "How about at Ichiraku's Ramen Bar. We can eat breakfast there before we go train," He offered. Hinata nodded, and Naruto let go of her arm. Hinata walked elegantly to her door and slid inside.

When he couldn't see her anymore, Naruto decided to turn in for the night. He turned and began walking towards his apartment. Little did he know, Hinata was still watching him through her window until she couldn't see him anymore.

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(A/N) It's not done yet. Not even close. I have not yet begun to type. (cheesy, I know) I better get reviews. It's freakin 4 in the morning!

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Hinata was all giddy as she ran up her stairs and straight into her room. She quickly changed into her pj's and got out her diary and began to write.

_Dear diary,_

_We were assigned a new mission today. I get to spend two months with Naruto-kun! I can't wait. Maybe I will finally be able to tell him how I feel about him, and maybe he will feel the same way. He asked me to breakfast tomorrow morning. It's not really considered a date, but to me it will be._

_-Hinata, August 5._

She closed the book and slid it under her futon. She climbed into her bed and tried to get to sleep, but all she could think about was the fact that she was going to be spending two months with Naruto, away from the village, and that kept her up half the night.

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The next morning, Riyu was banging on Naruto's door impatiently. Before the crack of dawn, he and Kakashi had both escaped from the hospital.

Naruto didn't respond. He looked over at his clock, which read 9:30, and placed his pillow over his head to drown out the noise. He was trying to remember what he had planned that morning.

"Come on Naruto! Open the damn door! I need to talk to you," Riyu yelled as he continued to beat on the door.

Giving in, Naruto reluctantly pulled himself out of his comfy bed and trudged over to his door. He swung it open and looked at Riyu with apathy. "What do you want?" He asked.

Now Riyu was really confused. Naruto never acted like this. It was usually him that acted like a stick in the mud when he was woken up. "What's wrong with you?" He asked as he walked in.

Naruto shut the door after Riyu was in. "I don't know. I was up half of the night thinking about things."

Riyu sat down at Naruto's table and turned to his friend. He had dark circles around his eyes, which was never a sign of good sleep. "Was that vision that bad?" He asked with concern in his voice.

Naruto nodded and sat at the other end of the table. "You wouldn't believe it. Everyone, even the two of us, was dead. And these weren't just normal deaths, these were bloody and gory deaths. There were severed arms and heads everywhere. You had no limbs," Naruto said. Riyu's hands went instantly to his chest. That did not sound good.

"Well, at least we can do something to stop it. Right?" Riyu asked. Naruto nodded. So, Riyu decided to change the subject. "What are you gonna do on your day off?" He asked.

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "I can't remember. I remember promising someone that I would have breakfast with them, but I can't remember anything else. What are you gonna do?"

"I'm going to go and have a talk with Zulku-sensei about this thing," Riyu said, pointing to his necklace. "I need some answers, and he had better give them to me." Naruto nodded. He was slightly feeling better, but he was still somewhat depressed.

They sat quietly for a few minutes. It was an awkward silence. Finally, Riyu broke the silence. "The mission won't be that bad," He said. Naruto looked over at Riyu with questioning look. "I mean, instead of it being just the four of us, there's also going to be Kurenai-sensei, Kiba, Shino, and Hinata."

Naruto's eyes went wide. "Oh shit! I totally forgot that I'm supposed to meet Hinata at Ichiraku's at 10. Quick, what time is it!?" Naruto yelled. Riyu stumbled to his feet as Naruto quickly threw his clothes on and ran to the clock.

"It says its 9:45, but I've learned not to trust your clock. You better get going!" Riyu advised. Naruto didn't need to be told twice. He barreled out of the door as fast as he could while still trying to get his jacket on.

"I can't be late! I can't be late! I can't be late!" Naruto kept yelling to himself all the way down the road.

"Hey, wait for me!" Riyu yelled. He then sprinted as fast as he could to catch up with his friend.

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Standing outside of Ichiraku's Ramen Bar, both Naruto and Riyu were panting like crazy. Naruto pointed to a random clock, angrily, that read 8:55. "Learn to read a clock, Riyu. I still have an hour until I have to meet Hinata-chan," Naruto barked.

Riyu growled at his friend. "Next time set your clock for daylight savings time, you dumb ass. That was in, what, March? It's freaking August!" Riyu retorted.

Naruto stood up fully. "Great, now what am I gonna do to kill time?" He asked to himself.

Riyu seemed to think about it for a minute. "Wanna go train?" He suggested. Naruto didn't hesitate.

"Hell yeah! Let's go, I'll kick your ass for sure." He said as he started walking down the road. For some reason, whenever it had something to do with getting stronger, Naruto could cheer up quick.

Riyu chuckled at his friend as he walked to catch up. "Yeah yeah, you still remember that we can't go all out yet because of our blood oath a year ago?" Riyu said.

"Yeah, yeah, let's go. I need to build up an apetite." With that, the two friends made their way to their favorite training grounds.

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When Hinata woke up, she immediately looked over at her clock. It read 9:30. That meant she had about half of an hour until she was to meet with Naruto for breakfast. She figured that she would go to the main family room and spend some time with her father and sister. They were becoming more and more like the family Hinata had always wanted. The others were starting to accept her.

After Hinata finished getting dressed, she gracefully made her way down the hallway and stairs that lead to the main room. There she found Hanabi and Hiashi sitting at a table drinking tea. Hinata bowed to each of them before taking her own seat.

"So, daughter, what's this I hear about an extended mission?" Hiashi asked in between sips of tea, looking at his daughter expectantly.

"W-well, father. My t-team and another t-team are set to l-leave tom-morrow in order to f-find these powerful s-stones," Hinata explained as best as she could. She knew that if her father found out Naruto was going along, he would forbid her to go.

"And who, may I ask, is on the other team that is to accompany yours?" Hiashi asked.

Crap! Hinata was in trouble. With a hesitated voice, she began to speak. "W-well, there's Hatake Kakashi," Hiashi nodded his head in approval. An outstanding jonin instructor of which he approved of. "H-Haruno Sakura," Again, he nodded his head at the name of the hokage's apprentice. "Uzuka Riyu," Hiashi hesitantly nodded. He had nothing against the boy, for you can't blame who you are related to. From what Hiashi knew, Riyu was a strong elementalist and apprentice to Yunaki Zulku. "A-and U-U-Uzumai...Naruto-kun." Her father's eyes opened wide with anger.

"I absolutely forbid it," He snapped, slamming his fist onto the table.

Hinata pleaded with her eyes. "Why father?" She asked with tears welling in her eyes.

"There is no reason for you to be associating with that...that...boy, if you can call him that. I will see to it that you will not be going on this mission," With that, he angrily got up from the table and stomped out of the door.

Hinata looked over to her little sister. Hanabi smiled sympathetically at her sister, but tears kept welling in Hinata's eyes as she tried to smile back. She looked over at a clock which read 9:50. That meant it was time for her to leave. She bowed to her sister and walked slowly out the door of the Hyuga Complex.

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The five Narutos all ran at Riyu as fast as they could. Riyu was on the top of a tree, speeding through hand seals. "Fire Style: Fireball no jutsu!" (I only use the japanese spelling when I can actually spell it) four fireballs shot from Riyu's mouth and stuck four of the Naruto's. But that didn't stop the real one from pushing through the smoke and striking Riyu with a weak rasengan. Still, a weak rasengan hurts like hell, and Riyu was sent from the tree to landing on his ass on the ground. He started rubbing his bottom in pain.

"This match goes to you. I need to work on my reaction time," Riyu said.

"Yeah, but it's probably only because you just got out of the hospital yesterday. And the day before that you were electrocuted, stabbed through the chest, and burned several times," Naruto said.

"Yeah, and it all hurt like hell," Riyu commented.

"Do you think it's time to go?" Naruto asked. Riyu shrugged. "Let's go anyway," Riyu shrugged again as they made their way towards Ichiraku's again.

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Tsunade was busy making preparations for the upcoming two months. The last thing she needed was some hot head elder to barge into her office making ridiculous demands. And that's exactly what she got.

Hiashi stormed into her office unannounced, though she couldn't say that she didn't expect it. She knew the Hyuga ways. Tsunade sighed as she looked up at her uninvited guest. "What can I do for you, Hiashi-sama?"

"Please forgive me for this sudden intrusion, Godaime-sama," Hiashi said as he bowed. "But I demand that my daughter be taken out of her latest mission."

"On what grounds?" Tsunade asked.

"On the grounds that I don't wish for my daughter to associate with that damn demon boy," Hiashi fumed.

Tsunade slammed her fist onto her desk and stood up, rage present in her face."That 'demon boy' is someone who would give up his life if it meant protecting this village. He is a great kid, not some demon! And I will be damned if someone comes to my office and berates someone close to me! Hinata will stay on the mission and she will be traveling with Naruto for two months! Am I understood?" She finished without breaking eye contact with Hiashi.

Hiashi was stuck in a corner. He couldn't refuse the hokage, and he knew about Tsunade's insane strength. He gave up and bowed to Tsunade. "I understand, Gadaime-sama. Please forgive me. But if anything happens to my daughter, I will fully blame you." He finished. Then we walked over to the door, slid it open, and left.

Shizune passed him in the hallway and entered Tsunade's office. "What's wrong with Hyuga-sama, he seems to be broken," (as in a whipped horse) She asked.

Tsunade sighed and began to write again. "He was just sticking his nose where it didn't belong...again," She answered.

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"Okay, you have five minutes until Hinata is supposed to show up. Are you gonna be okay?" Riyu asked as he and Naruto stood outside of the ramen bar. Naruto was adjusting his headband repeatedly and making sure his jacket was looking right. But every time Riyu tried to comment that he was trying to look nice for Hinata, Naruto denied it.

"I'm sure I'll be okay. You're talking to-"

"The future Rokudaime Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto," Riyu finished for him. After hearing that speech a few hundred times, it kinda got old.

Naruto growled. "Whatever, we're just meeting each other for breakfast. And then we're gonna go and do stuff. It's no big deal," Naruto tried to sound casual, but his voice seemed to be cracking.

Riyu raised an eyebrow. "Really? It sounds like a date to me," He said.

Naruto raised his eyebrows in question. "No way. How does it sound like a date?" He asked.

"Let's see, I'm no dating god or nothing, but this sounds like a date to me," Riyu stated, tapping the top of his head.

"How?"

"Let's see, you invited her to eat with you, right?"

"Yeah."

"And then you invited to spend the day with you, right?"

This time it was hesitated. "Yeah."

"Yep, that sounds like a date to me," Riyu said, nodding with a big smile. Of course it wouldn't count towards the bet, unless they kissed or announced they were a couple or anything. Riyu was just trying to push Naruto into the right direction. He and a few others like Kakashi and Tsunade had begun to notice how Naruto had started treating the young Hyuga heiress during the last few months.

Naruto gripped his hair with his hands. "I didn't think that! What if Hinata-chan think that it is a date? Would she even show up?" He asked frantically.

"Slow down there. I'm just saying that it sounds to me like a date. That doesn't mean she would take it as a date. She could see it as a chance to spend time with a friend before a long mission," Riyu said trying to calm his friend down. The only reason Riyu said all of that was because Shino had that day for the bet. He wasn't about to lose a lot of money to Shino.

Naruto seemed to calm down abit, but the butterflies were still flying around in his stomach, and he was still trembling somewhat. "What if she doesn't come?" He asked.

Riyu shrugged. "Then I guess you get to treat me to ramen," Riyu said as he patted Naruto on the back.

_'Please come, Hinata-chan. Riyu eats more than you do,'_ He mentally begged.

As if in answer to his prayers, Naruto spotted Hinata walking down the street and heading towards him. At first, she was looking at him, but when she spotted him looking at her, she quickly averted her eyes and blushed.

When she reached Naruto and Riyu, she bowed to them both. "Good morning Naruto-kun, Riyu-kun," She greeted. In all actuality, she wished that Riyu would leave so that she and Naruto could be alone.

Riyu started to walk slowly backwards. "I'll let you two have some fun without me. I have to go see someone about a rare piece of jewelry. See ya'll later!" Riyu said. He turned around and ran as fast as he could away.

Hinata looked over at Naruto and grabbed her left arm with the other nervously. She knew she had to talk to Naruto about what her father had told her earlier, but she couldn't bear to do that. She knew she would immediately start to cry.

"So, are you hungry Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked as casually as he could while rubbing the back of his head.

"A-actually, I'm starving," She admitted blushing.

"Great! Let's go in," Naruto said. Hinata nodded and both entered Ichiraku's ramen bar.

As Naruto entered, the owner looked over at him and Hinata and smiled. "Hey Naruto! I haven't seen you for the past few days. I was beginning to think that you had found some other ramen bar to go eat at," Teuchi joked.

Naruto chuckled. "Nah, no way. Your ramen is the best ever!" He said as he and Hinata took their seats.

Teuchi eyed his customers. "So, what will it be?" He asked.

"I'll take the pork miso ramen," Naruto said instantly.

"A-and I'll h-have t-the ch-chicken flavored ramen, please," Hinata said nervously.

Teuchi nodded with a smile. "Okay. Amaye! I need one pork miso ramen for Naruto, and a chicken for his girlfriend," He said with a wink at Naruto and Hinata.

Hinata went beet red. So red, blood would be envious. And Naruto went red too, and frantically began to wave his hands in front of his face, sweating nervously. "N-no way! Hinata-chan and I are just good friends!" Naruto said. Hinata dropped her head. She knew that they weren't a couple, but it still hurt to hear that Naruto didn't feel a thing towards her.

"Fine. Fine." Teuchi said smiling. He turned to fix the ramen. Amaye popped her head around and winked at Naruto, which caused his flushed cheeks to deepen even more.

This was going to be a long day.

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Riyu ran to the training field that He had asked Zulku to meet him at the other day. Zulku had come into the hospital room and Riyu had told him that he needed to talk to him about something. Zulku had agreed and told him to meet him at their usual training grounds at 10:15. Riyu still had 5 minutes until he had to be there, but he knew that Zulku had a tendency of being early.

Sure enough, when Riyu reached the training grounds, Zulku was there, quietly waiting for his apprentice to show up.

Riyu walked up to Zulku and nodded in his direction. "Zulku-sensei," He said.

"Riyu," Zulku replied, nodding in his direction too. "What is it that you wish to speak to me about?"

Riyu held up his necklace. "I need you to explain some things," He said. "For example, how was I able to use the byakugan when I fought in that damn temple?"

Zulku gasped in shock. "You...you used the byakugan?" He asked. Riyu nodded. "I see, then that means that I cannot lie to you anymore. Riyu, there is something you should know about the necklace."

Riyu couldn't help but feel somewhat excited. But he kept a straight face. "And that is?" He asked.

Zulku took a deep breath. "You see, centuries ago, The Uzuka Necklace used to be called the Necklace of 1000 souls. There used to be a ritual that would take place once every year. One of the strongest villagers from the village that housed the necklace would be sacrificed to the necklace. All of his power and chakra would be sealed within it, as well as his soul. A while after that, a clan came upon the village. The Uzuka clan." He paused to look upon Riyu. Riyu gasped. He was going to hear a story about his family, which made him more excited.

Zulku cleared his throat and continued. "They recognized that the village was full of fools and stole the necklace one night. When the villagers went to attack and kill them, they were the ones that ended up dead. The Uzuka were once the most powerful clan in the world. Anyway, some time after they stole the necklace, they didn't want anyone else to come across the necklace and steal it from them and use it against them. So they placed a jutsu on it, making it work only for Uzuka. That is how it came to be known as the Uzuka Necklace.

"It soon became tradition in the Uzuka clan to pass the necklace down from father to son. That is how you have it now." Zulku finished.

"But that still doesn't answer my question. How was I able to use the byakugan?" Riyu questioned.

"Well, tell me about what happened right before you used the byakugan," Zulku said.

Riyu tilted his head in thought. "Well, I don't remember much. I was lying on the floor with an enormous hole through my chest, bleeding to death. I heard Naruto cry out in pain, and not too long after that, I wished I could close Haku's stupid tenketsu up because his chakra was limitless. Then I heard this voice, it said _'If you wish to close his tenketsu, then you must allow me to fight with you,'_ Then I just got the byakugan, and after that I had a massive ass headache." Riyu finished.

Zulku was taking all the information in. "That's simple. During the time your ancestors had the necklace, they came across a Hyuga. Now, the ritual only can happen once every year, so this was a perfect time to test it out. They defeated the Hyuga elder and sealed his soul, his chakra, and his bloodline into the necklace. In that temple, that was the Hyuga asking for you to allow him to help you. I believe there is also an Uchiha in there, as well as many other powerful clans." Zulku said.

Riyu's eyes lit up. "I get it now. So this thing is like the ultimate weapon! It has a shit load of chakra, and powerful attacks!" He practically yelled.

Zulku's eyes went stern. "Riyu, it may be powerful, but there is something you should know. The necklace has a major drawback. While it gives you an immense amount of power, you do suffer from it. There are truly evil spirits in the necklace. When you used the byakugan, you felt yourself get a little darker, didn't you?" Riyu nodded. "Here is the problem. Because you lack training with it and you don't know how to separate the negative energy with the positive energy, the dark chakra will leak out whenever you use the necklace. In other words, every time you use the necklace, you lose part of yourself too. If you use it too much, you will become the very thing you despise. A mindless killing machine. You will become pure evil."

Riyu looked upon Zulku with horror. "That will never happen! I would never do anything like that!" Riyu protested.

"I agree, you would never do that. But the new Riyu would." Zulku said.

"Well, will you at least teach me how to use the necklace? You know, for life or death situations." Riyu asked. On one hand, he was terrified to turn evil. But on the other, he needed to learn to use it, just in case. Sort of like a backup plan.

Zulku lowered his head in thought and pondered Riyu's question for a minute. He looked up at Riyu. "I guess I can teach you the basics, since I used to be friends with your father." Zulku stopped himself right there and froze. _'Shit! I wasn't supposed to tell him that!'_ He thought.

Riyu looked up with him with wonder. "You knew my father!?" He asked. Then he wondered what else Zulku wasn't telling him.

"Yes, and before you ask, I'll give you answers when you come back from your mission, that's a promise. Now, do you want to learn how to use it or not?" Riyu nodded in defeat. "Okay, let's get started."

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Kakashi stood at Obito's grave once again. He bent down and left a few flowers on it. "I'm sorry old friend, but I'm not going to be able to visit for a few months. I have a mission to accomplish." Kakashi turned to leave, but he found Kurenai blocking his path. "So I take it you've heard about the mission?" He asked.

She nodded. "I couldn't believe it at first. That our home could be destroyed within two months. It's a little frightening, don't you think?" She asked.

"It will all be alright. Now that we know what we have to do, we should be able to stop this attack. The vision that Naruto had was if we didn't know about the attack." Kakashi said as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, I'll see you later Kakashi," Kurenai said.

"Yeah, see you later," With that, Kakashi vanished into thin air. He needed to go somewhere and discuss something with a bed ridden pervert.

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Sakura sat in her room, staring at her picture of Team 7. She adored that picture. She turned to her bed, which had a backpack filled with clothes in it.

When Sakura had gotten home, her mother was worried sick about her. She had scratches on her face and a bandage wrapped around her arm. Sakura told her mother not to worry, that that's what happens when you go on dangerous missions. Then she retreated to her room.

She was content to spend the entire day at home with her mother, just to savor their time together. Because knew in her heart that that could be the last day she got to spend with her. So Sakura got up and walked out the door and to her mother, so spend the day with her.

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As Kakashi walked into Jiraiya's hospital room, he noticed flowers on the side of the toad hermits bed. "Who are those from?" Kakashi questioned as he went to take a seat across from Jiraiya.

Jiraiya smiled. "I'm not sure. It must be from one of my fan girls. You know, it's not a crime to have fan girls?" Jiraiya asked, referring to Kakashi's mask.

"I'm doing fine without them. Anyway, I need to talk to you for a minute," Kakashi said, first half humorous, and the second half serious.

"Is it about the Akatsuki? Or about something else?" He asked.

"Well, both actually. Regarding the something else part, this village is going to be attacked in two months by Orochimaru, so we need you by then."

"I don't know, Tsunade has suggested surgery, and I'm willing to do it, but she keeps pushing back the date. I'll try to help if I can."

"Okay, and regarding the Akatsuki, since my team and Kurunai's team are both going on a mission, especially with Naruto on board, do you think that they will attack us?" Kakashi asked.

Jiraiya pondered a moment. "I'm not sure. They have been in hiding for two years now, so I have no idea what they are planning. Just keep your guard up." Jiraiya advised.

Kakashi nodded and rose from his chair. "Thank you for your time. I hope you get out of here soon," Kakashi said.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Yeah, you and me both."

With that, Kakashi departed from the room, leaving Jiraiya alone once more.

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At the ramen bar, Hinata was surprised Naruto could eat that fast. She had eaten only half a bowl of her ramen, and Naruto had already eaten about nine bowls. She watched her crush eat without haste, and somehow found it cute. Then she noticed that she was being watched, and turned to see Amaye looking at her over the counter, with a smile on her face.

"I feel sorry for Naruto's future wife. She's gonna have to cook a lot to keep him happy," Amaye said with a wink at Hinata. Of course she was in on the bet, she was one of the first people willing to take it. Hinata blushed many different shades of red and held her head down. Amaye giggled and went to make some more ramen.

After a few more bowls of ramen, Naruto payed Teuchi the money he owed him and departed with Hinata. After they were gone, Teuchi turned to his daughter. "Those two make a cute couple, don't you think?" He asked. Amaye nodded and giggled at the same time.

Hinata and Naruto began to walk down the street, to the training grounds. It was a little while there, so Naruto decided to strike up a conversation. "So, Hinata-chan, did you enjoy the ramen?" He asked.

Hinata nodded. "H-hai, it w-was deli-icious. Th-thank you Naruto-kun," She said with a blush.

"Eh, don't mention it. It was the least I could do Hinata-chan," Naruto responded with a smile. "So, tomorrow is the big day. Are you excited?" He asked.

Hinata blushed more. Of course she was excited, but not because of the reasons he was thinking of. He wanted to protect the village; she wanted to spend time with him. But she was glad that he was in a better mood than the other day. She figured that something must have happened to take his mind off of the gloom and doom. Little did she know, it was her. Hinata nodded in response to Naruto's question.

Soon, they were at the training grounds. Naruto looked around. _'Yes! Just me and Hinata-chan! Now we can train without interruption!'_ He thought. "Okay, Hinata-chan, let's get started on our super secret combat move training," He said.

"Hai," She answered. And so, the two practiced all day with their training.

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(A/N) sorry to interrupt again, but I'm not gonna go into detail about their training just yet. You'll get to see the fruits of their labor in another chapter. Back to the story!

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"Okay Riyu, concentrate," Zulku instructed at Riyu was attempting to use the byakugan once more. "Remember, you must first ask for the chakra, and then you shall receive."

"Yeah, well it's easier said than done," Riyu snorted as he tried to concentrate. _'Where are you, Hyuga?'_ He asked mentally.

Then he heard a voice. _"I do have a name, you know. It's Hyuga Yoshio, and I demand that you call me that from now on. Do you understand?"_ The Hyuga asked.

Riyu mentally sweated. _'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm still new to this thing. Uhh, Yoshio, can you please give me the ability to do the byakugan again? It's for training, so you don't have to come out again,'_

_"I know that. I can see whatever you see, but I couldn't tell you anything before the temple. You had to establish connection. And I'll give you the chakra, but only briefly. I don't want you to go evil on us," _Yoshio said.

_'Neither do I. Just give me chakra for about ten seconds, okay?'_ Riyu asked as nicely as he could.

Riyu could feel the Hyuga smile with approval. _"It's the first time I've heard an honest question addressed to any of us in years. Here you go," _Yoshio said.

Riyu could feel the energy flowing from his necklace and to his eyes. He went through the hand seals that flashed in his mind and yelled, "Byakugan!" Once again, he had 360 degree vision, his eyes went pale, and could see Zulku's chakra. "This is cool!" Riyu exclaimed.

Zulku smiled at his apprentice. "Okay, now I want you to stop using the byakugan."

"Uhh, how do I do that?" He asked with a clueless expression.

"It's just like dispelling chakra. Do it in the same way as you dispell your chakra," Zulku instructed.

"Okay," Riyu said. He found that it was easy to do it, and dispelled the byakugan with ease. But he got a slight headache from doing it. "Argghh! I got another damn headache! Why the hell does this happen?" He asked himself as he went to grip his head in pain.

"That's because the size of your eyes and the size of the Hyuga's eyes are different. His are bigger than yours, so your eye sockets are expanded to fit his eyes. That's why you have a headache," Zulku explained with a smile. Then his face changed tone, and it went serious. "Riyu, you must promise me something."

"Sure. What is it?" Riyu asked.

"I want you to promise me that you will not use the necklace on the mission. No matter what. You do not know how to channel the good energy from the bad, a process that takes weeks to perfect. I do not want you to turn evil during the mission. Is that a promise?" He asked.

"Zulku-sensei, I would never go evil like-"

I asked you a question. Is that a promise or not?" Zulku interrupted sternly.

Riyu sighed in defeat. "Yes, I promise not to use the necklace."_ 'This sucks. Why would he teach me how to use this damn necklace if I can't use it?'_ He mentally asked himself. _"I think that you should respect his wishes, young one. He taught you how to use us in case of something terrible happening."_ Yoshio advised. _' I guess...Wait a minute! You're gonna be like Kyubi is to Naruto, aren't you?' "No, of course not. I'm still here for the moment, I'm just removing the byakugan chakra from your eyes, it takes a few minutes," _Yoshio explained. Riyu nodded in understanding.

"Well, if that's all, then I guess I better get home and pack. I've been here for a good part of the day. The sun is already going down," Riyu said. Before he could turn to leave, Zulku produced a scroll from his pouch and held it out to Riyu. "What's this for?" Riyu asked.

"I want you to read this scroll when you start your mission. Don't open it until you are gone. Am I clear?" He asked. Riyu nodded. "Good, then take it."

He tossed it to Riyu who caught it and stuffed it into his pouch. "I'll see you later Zulku-sensei," Riyu said as he turned to leave.

"Yes, and good luck with your mission, Riyu," Zulku muttered to himself as Riyu disappeared from his sights. Then his eyes dropped. _'Please forgive me, Koji, for teaching your son how to use the necklace.'_

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After hours of continuous, nonstop training, Naruto and Hinata sat in the middle of the beaten and battered training field. Trees were knocked on their sides and craters were in the ground everywhere. Naruto looked over at Hinata, sweat was dripping from their faces. "That was...a good...workout...wasn't it, Hinata-chan?" He asked in between breaths. "I think that...we got the new move...down."

Hinata nodded. "Yeah, I-I...can't w-wait...to use it i-in battle," She said.

"I say we rest...for a little bit more, and then I'll take you home...okay?" Naruto asked Hinata.

Home. What was home to her exactly. A mean father, stuck up elders, servants that refused to treat you like an ordinary human being. The only people that were kind to her were Neji and Hanabi. And, on top of that, her father said that he was going to make sure that Hinata wasn't going on that mission. Hinata sighed and curled up into a ball. Naruto looked at her and immediately became worried.

After about half of an hour of resting, Naruto stood up and extended his hand to Hinata's. Hinata happily took his hand, though she blushed, and used it to stand herself up.

"Let's get going, I don't want to get your dad angry at you for staying out too long," He said. Hinata smiled warmly at Naruto and nodded. They were soon walking back to Hinata's house.

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While Riyu was walking back, he spotted Naruto and Hinata walking down the road. An idea popped into his head, and he began to follow them, keeping a safe distance. He saw Naruto look back behind him, so Riyu quickly hid behind a giant sign that read "SALE!" Once Riyu was sure that Naruto wasn't looking anymore, he kept on following.

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While Naruto and Hinata were walking down the street, both felt like someone was following them. When Naruto turned his head, he didn't see anyone following, so he shrugged the idea off and turned back around. "That's weird. I could have swore that I felt someone following us," Naruto said.

"Me too," Hinata agreed with somber eyes.

Hey, Hinata-chan, is something wrong?" He asked with concern.

Hinata looked up at Naruto and tried to give him an honest smile. "O-of co-course n-not, everything is f-fine," She lied.

Naruto could tell she was lying. "Hinata-chan, I wish you would be honest with me," Naruto said.

Hinata's eyes began to mist over. "Oh, N-Naruto-kun, my f-father is trying t-to get me off of the m-mission," She blurted out as she started to cry.

Naruto placed his arm around Hinata's shoulders and gave her a smile. "Don't worry about it. Oba-chan would never let your dad take you off of the mission."

Hinata knew that he was right. She smiled gratefully up at her crush. "Argiato, Naruto-kun," She said.

"You're welcome, Hinata-chan," He said.

By the time they reached the Hyuga estate, it was nightfall. They had spent the entire day training and talking with each other. So here they were, once more outside of the Hyuga complex.

Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously. "So, uhh, goodnight, Hinata-chan," He said.

Hinata smiled and, without control of what her body did, leaned forward and kissed Naruto on the cheek. "Thank you, Naruto-kun," She said with flushed cheeks. Then she realized what she did and blushed even harder. She quickly ran into her house and slammed her door shut. _'Did I really just give Naruto-kun a kiss?'_ She thought to herself as her heart kept pounding.

Naruto still stood outside in awe. He felt the warm kiss that was planted on his cheek and grinned. "That felt good," Naruto said to himself.

As he turned to leave, he came face to face with Riyu, who was grinning like a mad man. "So, how did it go?" Riyu asked.

"Ah, Riyu! How long have you been standing there?" Naruto asked nervously.

"Long enough. So, how was the date?" He asked.

"It wasn't a date!" Naruto yelled, slightly blushing.

"Yeah right. You spent the entire day with her, you put your arm around her shoulders, and she even gave you a kiss on the cheek. What do you call that?"

"Ah-hah! So you were following us!"

"That's not the point. Whether you realized it or not, you just went on a date with Hinata," Riyu finished, still smiling.

Naruto tried to come up with a comeback, but he was at a loss of words. There was no way he could prove that they had not been on a date. Naruto sighed in defeat. "Let's go home Riyu," He said.

"Okay," Riyu agreed and the two walked home.

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When Hinata walked into the family room, she saw Hiashi sitting on a couch, waiting for Hinata to get home. Hinata removed her shoes and walked over to her father, not even daring to make eye contact.

"I had a talk with the Hokage, Hinata," Hiashi said sternly. Hinata shuddered. Was it possible that the Hokage had deemed that she could not go on the mission? Hinata braced for the worst. "Even though I strongly disagree, you are to go on the mission tomorrow."

Hinata was overjoyed, to say the least. She smiled and quickly ran up to her room to finish packing.

When she got up to her room, she threw her clothes into her backpack rapidly. Then she pulled her diary out of its secret hiding place and began to write the entire days events down. From start to finish, all of her sentences began with Naruto and I. When she was done, she changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed. When she fell asleep, all she could dream about was her and Naruto, holding hands as they walked around the village.

She finally had a chance to be with Naruto.

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(A/N) I just did a crap load of typing. It's over freaking 10000 words! I'm so damn tired. I hope all of you that wanted fluff and answers got what you wanted. Please review, I worked really hard on this chapter. Oh, and if anyone wants to see the real me, go to and look up riyutosama.

Now to answer reviews.

**SMP:** Thanks. I'm trying as hard as I can. Thanks for the review.

**Jbalman:** He's not just the bearer. He gets the Courage one. Thanks for the review.

**Korhil Tohru: **There is a method to my madness. By the time of the sequel, you will find out why the stones are named the way they are. It's kinda funny, too. Thanks for the review.

**Hope master:** I hope this chapter satisfies your hunger. Thanks for the review.

**Weasel Debater: **I couldn't come up with a description for that creature, so I just made everyone use their imaginations. XD. Thanks for the review.

**Almostinsane: **I think I found something better than the interview, in case I haven't showed you the storyboard thing for Naruto yet. Thanks for the review.

**Boby09:** Thanks for the confidence boost, and the review.

**RasenganFin: **lol. There is a reason that Naruto's stone is named the way it is. It's kind of a joke for the second story. Thanks for the review.

**nightfang: **Like I said before, there is a method to my madness. There is a reason, which I'm saving for the sequel. Thanks for the review.

**Major Hinata Fan:** Yeah, I realized that I really wanted out of that temple. Thanks for the review.

**Dragon Man 180: **Actually, that avenger stone is for Sasuke. You can only get one at a time, and it will work out. Trust me. Thanks for the review.

**Pyro-chan the dragon king: **Okay, Mr. lumpy is starting to scare me now. I keep saying this, there is a reason for the stones named the way they are. You will just have to be patient. Please keep reading and thanks for the review.

**T.O.B: **Well, when you stopped reviewing, I just felt that you had lost interest or something. It's good to have you back. To answer your questions: of course I watch one piece, I watch the show and read the manga, since I subscribe to shonen jump, I'm just getting done with the giants arc, and in the anime Crocodile has shown up to stop Vivie and the others from blowing up the palace. Please let me know what your story idea is. And give me your email address so I can talk with you some more. Thanks for the review.

I'm going back to sleep. Maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll get at least 5 hours of sleep.

Oh, and before I forget, remember when I didn't know what XD meant? Well, I guess you could call that my blond moment. A few months after that, I looked at XD from an angle and thought "I am such an idiot!"

And, if you remember that guy who called Tsunade a cold heartless bitch, he joined fanfiction and is trying to get a story out. I don't know if it will be good or not, but you all could give him your two cents.

And my beta, ANBU26 has finally gotten his story out. It's called The New Team 7. I highly recommend that you all check it out. I like it so far.

Remember, 5 reviews or no update.


	15. Ch 14 The Scroll

Wow. I asked for 5 reviews, considering that I gave you a 10000 word chapter, and you all came through big time. I feel so loved. However, you should all be getting used to me making chapters shorter than usual after a huge chapter. So expect a shorter chapter. Don't cry.

Okay, sappy moments over. Time for the story. There is no way this chapter will top my last one.

Youtube Updates: I put in my theories and clip show dedicated to Naruto/Hinata, I have uploaded Naruto Shippuden episodes 3 and 4, and I'm working on a Naruto/Hinata amv. And fricken youtube keeps taking off my episodes. Im getting ticked.

And thanks to Major Hinata Fan for pointing something out. Last time, I told you all to look me up at riyutosama. I didn't specify where. Just go to youtube, I'm there. If you find the video Trailer Park Cops, that's made by me.

Riyu: So you would rather be a director than a fanfiction author?

Riyuto-san: Oh great, you again.

Naruto: And me. Are you too good for us?

Hinata: Do you just not want to put Me and Naruto-kun together? (begins to fake cry)

Riyuto-san: No way. You guys are my favorite pairing. I wrote two other stories for the two of you.

Riyu: Wait, where the hell was I in those stories?

Naruto: It doesn't seem like you care about us. You promised yourself you would finish this story by the end of the school year. That leaves you a month and a half.

Riyuto-san: I promised I would do it if I could. It looks like it's longer than I anticipated. I will try my best to be halfway done. And besides, I'm trying to go out with this girl at school.

Riyu: Really? What's stopping you?

Riyuto-san: Well, I know that I like her, and I know that she likes me, but...

Naruto: But what?

Riyuto-san: We're both too shy to talk to each other.

Naruto: You have got to be kidding me. This is the guy that is in charge of our love lives?

Riyu: Crap. Just do the disclaimer so we can get on with the story, and our lives.

Riyuto-san: Fine. **Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I do own Riyu and Zulku. If you would like to borrow, ask me first. (goes in corner and cries)

(Riyu looks at Naruto) Naruto: Was it something I said?

ANBU26: I keep trying to help him, but he turns into Rudolph whenever she's around-

Riyuto-san: No one asked you! (pulls out AK-47)

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Deep within Sound Country, inside of Orochimaru's lair, Sasuke and Kabuto were having a sparing match.

Sasuke back flipped onto a wall and prepared a dark chidori. He leapt off of the wall at blinding speeds and slammed his fist at Kabuto, who turned into a boulder, showing just how strong Kabuto really was. However, Sasuke was expecting this, he quickly removed three shuriken and threw them at the ceiling, catching Kabuto in the leg.

Kabuto landed on the ground opposite Sasuke and removed the shuriken. "Not bad, you seem to be getting faster thanks to those pills," Kabuto mused.

Sasuke mentally groaned. How he longed to be free of this place. He regretted joining the sound from day 10, when he learned that all Orochimaru was going to do was put him on pills and hoped that would work. Oh sure, Orochimaru would train him, making him stronger and faster. But they were unconventional methods.

For example, Orochimaru once threw Sasuke down into a 5 mile deep cavern with his hands tied behind his back with chakra coils, along with his feet the same way. Sasuke ws lucky to survive that, but it only made him stronger. But now, he was missing his previous home. He even missed being annoyed by Sakura. And he never thought he would miss that.

Orochimaru sat in his home made throne at the other end of the arena as he watched his ninja do battle with each other. Sasuke, in particular. He watched his body move and envisioned himself in it, wielding the Sharingan with a force. He would be unstoppable.

A sound jonin walked up to Orochimaru and bowed. "Yes, what is it?" Orochimaru asked harshly.

"My lord, Takuya has returned with the information you requested," The jonin responded with sweat leaking out of his pours as a frightening pace. He was forced into being Orochimaru's jonin. It was either that, or his entire family would have been killed. He didn't have much of a choice.

Orochimaru smirked his gay smirk. "Good." He responded. Then he clapped his hands. "Kabuto! Sasuke! That is enough for today. We'll save the other tests for tomorrow." He ordered. Both boys bowed to him. One out of respect, and one out of force.

Orochimaru ordered for the jonin to bring Takuya, his spy, to him immediately. The jonin bowed and left the room. About ten seconds later he reentered the room with a battered and bruised man known as Takuya. "Orochimaru-sama," Takuya greeted as he knelt on the floor.

"Rise and tell me what you saw," Orochimaru ordered. Takuya obeyed.

He cleared his throat before he spoke. "As you suspected, the temple was hidden under Konoha. When I ventured forth into the tunnel, I found that it took forever. And when I finally reached the entrance, it was blocked. I was too little on chakra to open it and possibly fight to the death, so I disguised myself as a leaf mine worker and said that I had found a temple in that shaft.

"When the team assigned to the investigation mission were gathering, I quickly transformed into a shuriken and hid myself in a girl's bag. Once I was safely in the temple, and while the leaf shinobi were distracted, I slipped out and kept my chakra level low so as not to arouse suspicion. I followed the pink haired girl and the white haired jonin instead of the Kyubi boy and the Uzuka, for they seemed to be the most safe." Takuya took a breath. Sasuke gave a quick flinch at the descriptions of his former comrades. He still kinda, in a way, missed them.

"I was wrong. Soon they were locked in battle. So, being the clever ninja I am, I slipped passed without anyone knowing I was there. So I made my up a flight of stairs and got passed some difficult obstacles. But then I realized something. I could not get into the tower. It would not let me in. It seems that the tower would only let untainted hearts into it. The guardians would not attack me because of my evil heart. So I joined them and tricked the leaf jonin into thinking I was a temple guardian. When he destroyed the bridge, I leapt to the wall and clung to it for dear life. Then I started to climb to the top of the tower. There, after witnessing a few walls being taken out, I found a square hole in the ceiling. When the demon brat walked in, I heard everything I needed to hear.

"The demon brat known as Naruto is the bearer of the map, the first stone on the list is Ruby of Intelligence in the land of Waves, which is meant for Haruno Sakura. And, if I'm not mistaken, the Avenger's Emerald is meant for Sasuke, and they now know we plan to attack in two months and a day from today," Takuya finished.

Orochimaru seemed to be taking all of this in. "So the map will only work for Uzumaki Naruto, and they know of our attack. Well, we can bump up the plan a few days to throw those ridiculous ninja off a little. But we need that map for ultimate power." He turned to his jonin. "Higo, you are to assemble eight ninja, yourself included, and deal with the leaf ninja. They are probably using the southeast exit, so start looking there. You are to capture Uzumaki Naruto at all costs. If he will not go, then kill him."

Higo bowed. "Of course, Orochimaru-sama." He turned and ran out to gather ninja. "There will be no one to stop me. No one!" Orochimaru stated to himself, and then the fanny bandit laughed maniacally. (that was for you, rasenganfin)

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The morning of the mission came too early for the blond shinobi. He got out of bed as always, he walked to the table and poured himself some cereal as always, and he even heard his floorboards creak when he put his dishes in the sink for the last time in two months as they always did. He knew everything was going to change by the end of this mission, and boy was he right.

After he finished packing his bag, which consisted of three other suits, a sleeping bag, and a few more essentials, he tightened his headband, grabbed his backpack, and opened his door. Naruto found Riyu standing outside of his door, waiting patiently.

Naruto nodded in Riyu's direction, and Riyu returned the nod, which meant hello. Naruto placed his keys inside of the door's lock and turned them. Followed by a click that meant the door was locked, Naruto and Riyu turned to leave. On their way out, they took one last look at their apartment. They were sure gonna miss this place.

As Riyu and Naruto trekked to the gate they were supposed to meet at, they began a conversation.

"I wonder if we'll ever get to come back," Riyu said.

"Why wouldn't we?" Naruto asked.

"Well, we might not come back from this mission."

"Don't say things like that. Of course we're gonna come back. Why wouldn't we?"

There was a pause for a few minutes.

"So, what about your date yesterday?"

Naruto went red. "IT WASN'T A DATE!"

"Sure, and Oba-chan wins every bet she makes."

"But...she doesn't."

Riyu grinned as if he had won a major battle. "Exactly."

Naruto gripped his hair in frustration. "How could someone go on a date without knowing it was a date in the first place?"

"Don't ask me, I'm single."

"So am I!"

Riyu sighed. It _was_ true. Naruto was still single. He and Hinata weren't going out. Well, hoped Riyu, not yet anyway. So Riyu shrugged it off and they went on to discuss a few more things, like the different flavors of the greatest food in the world, how Choji had accidentally sat on Naruto a few weeks ago, and how they had both stolen Shikamaru's shogi board.

They were soon at the gate, carrying on their conversation. They were so into their discussions that they failed to realize that the Hyuga heiress had shown up. At first, she was excited about spending time with Naruto. But now, she wasn't sure that Naruto wanted to spend time with her. She took a seat on a bench and decided to wait for the others.

It didn't take the others long to arrive. First Kurunei showed up, along with Kiba and Shino. Kiba caught sight of Hinata staring at Naruto affectionately and growled.

Half an hour later, Sakura showed up and noticed the same thing that Kiba had and clenched her fists together. Kurunei saw both of these signs of jealousy and sighed. These were going to be a long two months.

(Two hours later)

"Yo!" Kakashi said from atop a sign. Naruto, Sakura, and Riyu all turned to their sensei and pointed accusingly at him.

"YOU'RE LATE!" They all yelled at the same time. Kakashi jumped down to them.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I lost track of time." Kakashi apologized.

Team 7 looked at each other confused.

"Wait, you're not gonna make up any lame excuses?" Naruto asked.

"Or try to say that you got lost on the road of life?" Riyu asked.

"You idiot, that was an excuse!" Sakura yelled, causing Riyu to flinch.

Team 8 sighed, except for Hinata of course.

"You don't seem to think very highly of me," Kakashi said, "Anyway, we need to get started right away. So team, let's move out."

So they did. As they left, each one turned back to look upon their home, for all they knew, for the last time. They were leaving their homes, possibly forever. There was no turning back now. They knew what they had to do. And they were going to do it right.

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A little into the journey, Riyu remembered something. He reached around and pulled out the scroll that Zulku-sensei had given him. He opened it, and it read:

_The Top 10 Forbidden Jutsu,_

_10. Summoning of the impure world_

_9. Summoning of the 2-Tailed Fox_

_8. Summoning of the 3-Tailed Fox_

_7. Summoning of the 4-Tailed Fox_

_6. Summoning of the 5-Tailed Fox_

_5. Summoning of the 6-Tailed Fox_

_4. Summoning of the 7-Tailed Fox_

_3. Summoning of the 8-Tailed Fox_

_2. Summoning of the 9-Tailed Fox_

_1. Fusion No Jutsu._

The last one seemed kinda odd to Riyu. Why would Fusion top the summoning of the Nine-Tailed Fox? There was no way it could be worse than that fox. What also confused Riyu was that the hand seals were next to the jutsu. This was the biggest quandary.

Naruto noticed that Riyu was completely transfixed on the scroll and peered over his shoulder to get a better look. "Neh, what are ya' reading?"

Riyu's head snapped up as if awaken from a daze. He put on an apologetic expression. "Sorry, it's just this scroll that Zulku-sensei gave me yesterday. It's apparently a list of dangerous jutsu and how to do them."

Naruto's eyes widened in excitement. "Sweet! What's the most dangerous one?" He asked.

Hinata glanced over at Naruto and blushed. She loved it when he got excited about something, and she was still thinking about the other day. Riyu looked down at the scroll.

"Let's see, Fusion no jutsu. Listen to this; _Fusion no jutsu. The jutsu that allows two shinobi to become one by physically breaking down each body and reconstitution the molecules into one new, all powerful body. It is theorized that any and all jutsu (except bloodlines, of course) are open to the newly formed person." _Riyu finished, his eyes lighting up as well as Naruto's.

"That...is...so...cool! We have to do this. What are the hand seals?" Naruto asked impatiently.

"Uhh..._Half Horse, Half Tiger, Half Snake, Half Monkey, Half Sheep, Half Dragon, Half Dog, Half Boar, Half Bird, Half Ox, Half Hare, Half Rat, then repeat once more."_

Riyu and Naruto exchanged puzzled looks.

"What does the half part mean?" Naruto asked. Riyu shrugged.

"M-maybe it m-means th-that the two shinobi have to d-do the h-hand seals together," Hinata chimed in. Naruto gave her a thoughtful glance, as if to say "Really, thanks Hinata-chan," which caused Hinata to blush. Kiba and Sakura wore their anger on their faces.

"That's correct," Kakashi said from the front of the group. "The Fusion no jutsu is a powerful jutsu. If you wish to do it, then you and your partner must each do half of a hand seal which would, in turn, form a single hand seal. It's a complex jutsu."

Riyu and Naruto couldn't contain their excitement.

"Let's do it Riyu. Me and you!"

"Hell yeah!"

Before they could run off, Kakashi grabbed their shoulders to hold them in their places. "Hold it you two. There is one major problem with the jutsu." He said.

"Like what?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi's face saddened a little. "No matter what you do, you will die."

Naruto and Riyu's eyes went wide. "What?" They both asked.

"That is why the jutsu is the most forbidden jutsu. Over 1000 shinobi have tried it and failed. They all lost their lives, because it is an impossible jutsu. I want the two of you to promise me that you will never even try this jutsu," Kakashi ordered.

Riyu and Naruto gave defeated sighs. "Fine," Riyu said.

"Hey, but that doesn't mean that we can't at least _do_ the hand seals. That way, we could practice doing joined jutsu. We just won't pour any chakra into the jutsu. Is that okay, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi sighed. "I guess I can't stop you from doing it if you want to." Kakashi paused and glanced up at the sky. It was sunset. "We're going to stop and make camp here."

They were in a small, open field. It would be perfect for the next morning. They could just pack up and go.

For the next hour, the two teams began setting up camp. When Naruto and Riyu finished, they walked away from the camp a little ways and began trying to do the fusion, without really trying, of course.

They kept messing up though. It was much harder than they expected. The easiest one was the boar sign, but that was because it was the simplest sign. They spent hours trying.

Hinata watched from a safe distance, sitting on a small wooden log they had found and used as a seat for around the campfire.

"You do realize that just sitting there watching him will not make him notice you?" Kurunei said, startling the young Hyuga heiress.

"K-Kurunei-sensei! I wasn't...I mean...Umm...Uhh..." Hinata stuttered nervously and touching her fingers together.

Kurunei smiled at Hinata, who she considered a little sister. "Why don't you just tell him that you love him?"

Hinata blushed harder and lowered her head. "N-Naruto-kun is in l-love with someone else. I don't want to b-be broken hearted when he t-tells me th-that he doesn't l-l-love me."

"But Hinata, how would you know that he is not over her? You'll never know until you ask. And besides, things have a way of changing for the best," Kurunei said reassuringly.

Hinata hugged Kurunei. "Thank you, Kurunei-sensei!" Hinata cried into Kurunei's clothes. Kurunei smiled and hugged Hinata back, just like a big sister with a little sister. "You're welcome. I'll sit with you for a little while, is that okay?" Hinata nodded.

Kakashi, on the other side of the camp, looked up from his book (He's reading it with a flashlight) and smiled at Kurunei and Hinata.

From another side of the camp, Sakura had just finished putting up her tent. She was the last one to get done. "I'm finished!" She yelled to Kakashi.

Kakashi looked up and closed his book. He stood and walked to the middle of the camp. "Okay team, please come here!" Kakashi yelled. Once everyone gathered, he continued. "We're going to gather fire wood, since we're running low," Kakashi pointed down to the small fire in front of them. It had three sticks and tiny embers shooting up. "So here's how it's gonna go; We will split up into teams of two. Sakura and Shino will head north, Kurunei and I will head east, Riyu and Kiba will head west," Hinata and Naruto's hearts began pounding at the same time, because they both knew what was coming next. "And Hinata and Naruto will go south. We shall meet back up here in an hour. Agreed?"

Everyone nodded, and turned to leave.

"Hey Naruto," Riyu said, "I bet I can get more firewood than you," He taunted.

"You're on! Come on Hinata-chan!" Naruto yelled, grabbing her hand and disappearing into the darkness.

Riyu couldn't help but laugh. Kiba, however, was less than thrilled. He glared hateful at Riyu. "You knew that would happen, didn't you?"

"Sure did."

"Why did you do that?"

"Because _some_ of us have a bet on the two of them, right Kakashi-sensei." He turned around and saw no one, not even Kakashi, at the camp site. He and Kiba were the only ones left. "Besides, why would you care. You're one of the only people not in on the bet," Riyu said crossly. He never really did get along with Kiba, but mostly because Kiba was mean to Naruto a lot.

"Whatever, let's just get the wood and get back. Maybe we can beat that Naruto-teme(**1**) and you can win _this_ pointless bet," Kiba said. He turned and started walking away with Riyu right next to him.

Something was bothering Riyu. Why did Kiba say that he could win _this_ pointless bet? What did he mean by that? Riyu shrugged it off and decided to worry about it later.

Kiba was in a state of panic. It was mild, but panic nonetheless. He had almost blown his secret to one of the biggest Naruto/Hinata fans out there. Kiba now knew what he had to do. Gather enough fire wood to impress Hinata, get Naruto and Sakura together, and win Hinata's heart. This was going to be hard.

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"So why did you decide for Naruto and Hinata to go off together?" Kurunei questioned.

"Well, Hinata needs to get used to being around Naruto more so that the two of them can work more together. And, sooner or later, they will be the perfect team," Kakashi replied as he bent down to pick up a few sticks.

"What about the bet? I'll even admit that I'm in on it."

"Oh yeah, and that. I...changed my date to Naruto's birthday."

_Flashback_

_While on the mission, Kakashi dropped back to Riyu's side and leaned in close so that Naruto couldn't hear. "Riyu, I would like to change my bet."_

_Riyu looked up at Kakashi questioningly. "Why?"_

_"No reason. I just feel that I have a better chance with a new date. You can give my old date to yourself if you want," Kakashi tempted._

_Riyu was sold. "Okay, what day do you want?" He asked as he quickly whipped out his paper and scribbled Kakashi's name off and replaced it with his._

_"I want Naruto's birthday," Kakashi said._

_Riyu looked the list over. "You're in luck. No one's taken it yet." Riyu quickly wrote Kakashi's name down and folded the paper back up. "But honestly, why the sudden change of heart._

_Kakashi grinned._

_Even further flashback_

_It was in the temple. While Kakashi and the others were waiting Naruto to come down with the map, Kakashi and Kakudo talked a bit. Riyu was still not awake yet, but Sakura was. She was trying to wake Riyu up, but without success. _

_"Listen Kakashi, I gave Naruto a test and saw the future. I noticed that it was his birthday that this particular vision takes place. It's this year, and it involves Riyu's bet. Yes, I know all about it. I found this paper," He held out a paper with numbers and names on it, "lying next to Riyu. Change the date to his birthday." Kakudo advised._

_"Why should I trust you," Kakashi asked._

_"Why not?"_

_End flashback_

"And I just want them to get close enough to consider dating," Kakashi finished. He didn't mention anything about the vision, though.

Kurunei smiled at Kakashi and winked. "You're not half bad, Kakashi."

Kakashi could feel his cheeks reddening.

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"How much longer do we have to stay out here?" Sakura asked after what seemed like twenty minutes.

Shino sighed. "Sakura, we've been out here for five minutes. Please try to calm down," Shino suggested. If this was what she was like for five minutes, he knew he was going to hate the next two months.

"I know, but I feel odd. As if something is watching us or something."

"Hmm...Now that you mention it, I feel something too," He started. Then he saw it, it was feint but, thanks to the moonlight, he could depict a kunai with a paper bomb attatched to it heading straight for Sakura.

"Sakura, behind you!" Shino yelled.

Sakura turned.

_KABOOM!!_

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"Let's see, that makes 45," Riyu yelled down to Kiba. Riyu was in a tree tearing branches off of it and stripping away their leaves. Kiba was on the ground with Akamaru, going through bushes and picking off the small branches.

"Good, because I have 64," Kiba yelled back at him. He didn't really, he just wanted to see Riyu's reaction.

Riyu looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "What!? How do you have 64? I've been working my ass off up here!" Riyu yelled in frustration.

Before Kiba could respond and tell him he was only kidding, Akamaru started barking ferociously and ran off into the darkness.

"Where's Akamaru going!?" Riyu yelled as he leapt down to Kiba, sticks still in hand.

"I don't know. Akamaru! Where are ya' buddy?" Kiba called.

There was a yelp and then a small, fuzzy blur shot at Kiba. He recognized this to be Akamaru and skillfully caught his dog and gently set him down on the ground. There was blood leaking down from his left shoulder. The dog was unconscious.

"Is Akamaru alright?" Riyu asked, looking down at the dog. He actually liked Akamaru.

"I hope so. Show Yourself!" Kiba ordered.

There was a hint of a chuckle followed by a tall figure stepping out of the darkness. He wore a sound headband. " 'Ello kiddies. hows 'bout a game?"

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"Okay Hinata-chan, incoming!" Naruto yelled as the tossed a few more branches down to Hinata, who skillfully caught them all and sat them into their pile.

Naruto jumped out of the tree he was in and smiled at Hinata. "How many is that so far?" He asked.

Hinata quickly calculated. "168 so far," She announced.

"Wow Hinata-chan, you're really smart," Naruto complimented.

Hinata blushed. "Th-thank you N-Naruto-kun," She stuttered. As Naruto turned around, Hinata spoke up again, daring herself to be brave once more before she fainted. "Naruto-kun?" She said, which caused Naruto to turn around and look at her with his wondering look, a look that she loved about him.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Umm...I d-don't m-mean to be r-rude," She said as she poked her fingers together nervously. "But, do y-you...d-d-do you..." She gulped nervously, "Do you still like Sakura-san?" She half flinched, preparing for the response she knew was coming. But, now at least, she could tell Kurunei-sensei that she did ask.

Naruto tilted his head in thought. "Well, while on my training mission with Ero-sennin, I started to think about my life and the people in it. Team 7 began to seem like my family. Kakashi-sensei was like my uncle, Sasuke-teme was like my brother, Riyu was like my other brother, and Sakura-chan was like my sister. The closest thing to a father was Iruka-sensei. Obaa-chan is my grandma, and Ero-sennin is my grandfather. So I still like her, but more like a sister."

Hinata felt hope plunge into her heart. That meant he didn't like Sakura anymore! Which meant that she still had a chance, however small she thought it would be. She dared herself to be a little braver. "S-so, what do y-you th-th-ink o-of m-me?" She asked with pure red cheeks.

Naruto blushed and resembled Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer's nose (See, I'm not the only one). "Well, you are...like-" Naruto heard a quick snapping of twigs and a _whoosh!_, so he instinctively grabbed Hinata and pressed her body his as eight kunai assaulted the spot she was standing in.

"Show yourself!" Naruto ordered.

He could hear clapping as the enemy came out of the shadows. "Very good, you managed to pick up on my position and anticipate my attacks. And you were just having a cute moment too." The enemy taunted with a smirk.

"What the hell do you want?" Naruto demanded.

"I am Higo, an Oto-ninja. And too bad for you," He removed several kunai with exploding tags on them, "And I hate cute moments."

Naruto didn't loosen his grip on Hinata, who was still trying to understand what was happening. "You still didn't answer my question. Who are you?" He asked as mean as he could.

The man chuckled.

"I'm here to kill you."

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Listen good, I know that Orochimaru told Higo not to kill Naruto, but Higo just wants to instill a fear into Naruto.

Sorry the chapter is so short. I was trying to type and evade ANBU26 at the same time. He's Asian, and I made the mistake of letting him get near two paper clips and a stapler. He made a friggin shotgun with them! I'm convinced, Asians can do anything! (note: ANBU26 is like my best friend, he comes up with half of the Asian jokes I know. We're cool like that)

At least I gave ya'll some cliffies. They're there to keep those of you who read this story interested. I have all the story planned and everything, but I didn't have time to actually write this chapter out on paper. The next chapter will be longer, and filled with more fluff and action. Four separate fights will take place.

Now for the reviews:

**Kyuubigod:** Thanks a lot. Welcome to the fanfiction. Thanks for the review.

**Major Hinata Fan: **Thanks a lot. Your review means that I CAN do fluff! And I made Riyu with enough mystery to keep all of you coming back for more. I'm evil that way. Sorry about the confusion in the earlier chapter.

**ANBU26:** I don't wanna talk to you. You tried to kill me with small appliances. J/K. Thanks, you suck up.

**Pyro-chan the dragon king: **lol. I know, that's why I'm giving Mr. Lumpy virtual cookies. Thanks for the review!

**Almostinsane: **No, thank _you_ for the review.

**Boby09: **Thanks for the review. I guess that means I'm getting better at being a writer.

**Stardog252: **Thanks. I try my best. Thanks for the review!

**Crimson tears of the kyuubi: **They are, aren't they? Thanks for the review!

**Korhil Tohru: **All I ask for are 5 reviews. It's just incentive for you to review. And I think that I gave enough fluff, but the MAJOR fluff comes towards the end. The still major but not as major as the end fluff is coming soon. Thanks for the review.

**Dragon Man 180: **Riyu and Sakura already see each other as siblings. It's like me and my little sister. Anyway, there are no other demon containers in the necklace. But I'll give you credit for coming up with something that never even came to my mind. Thanks for the review!

**Rasenganfin: **I swear to you that there is a good reason for the stones being named the way they are. Please have faith, like Naruto always does. No, the surgery isn't a vasectomy. It's…umm…well…replacement. Keep your mind out of the gutters. I'm not going into details. And ANBU26 is trying to keep his story at least T rated, so no sex. Sorry about that. It's his story. Thanks for the review.

**T.O.B: ** I did go on youtube and Wikipedia and looked up onepiece and stuff. I'm pretty much up to date. I would love to read your story. And please, GIVE ME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS! I'll give you mine if you give me yours! I would really like to talk some more about this. Thanks for the review!

**Weasel Debater: **Make room in that bunker, I'm coming in too. You catch on quick, and you're right. What reason would I have to spoil everything about the necklace? Thanks for the review!

Well, I'm about done. And the guy that says that Tsunade is a cold, heartless bitch has finally joined He just hasn't gotten his story up. His name is Ironman303 I think. I'll let you all know when he gets his chapter up.

And this is the unbetaed version. When this thing is properly betaed, you will not see this message.

Wish me luck. Tomorrow (which is Thursday for those of you reading this on Thursday) I'm gonna ask her out. This will be the hardest thing ever.

Remember, 5 reviews or no update.


	16. Ch 15 Discovered

I'm back with another chapter of Fusion. I just want to know one thing before I continue. A while ago, I was getting so much grief because you all were dying to know why this story is called Fusion, and then when I tell you no one responds. That's weird.

And I'm soooooo sorry that this chapter was late. Blame school.

This chapter gave me a lot of trouble, because I had to work on 3 and a half separate fights. I hope you all enjoy the latest chapter of Fusion.

Oh, and by the way...I GOT A GIRLFRIEND!!! I asked her, and she said yes.

Riyu: It's about time

Naruto: Way to go!

Hinata: Good for you, Riyuto-kun.

I'm loved by everybody!

Disclaimer: No chance of me owning Naruto in the possible future. Why? because I'm broke and live in a trailer, that's why.  
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"So Kakashi, can I ask you something?" Kurenai asked politely.

Kakashi nodded as he gathered more firewood from a nearby tree. "Sure."

"Why do you wear that mask over your face?" She asked.

Kakashi shrugged. "Well, when I was young I was told that I had a very good looking face. I didn't want fan girls because they would be a distraction, so I put it on."

Kurenai smiled at him. "I guess that makes sense. So, will you ever let me see your face?" She asked as sweetly as she could, giving him a seductive-like smile.

Kakashi's mask hid his blush as he tried to search for an answer. "Maybe, if you're lucky," He replied.

A faint chuckle emitted from Kurunai as she rolled her eyes playfully. She decided to change the subject to something more important. " So, do you feel it too?"

"Yes," He replied.

They exchanged understanding glances as Kurenai sped through a few hand seals. Suddenly, she disappeared, but only for a moment. Then, from 5 meters behind Kakashi, Kurenai yelled, "Magen: Jubaku Satsu!" (Demonic Illusion: Tree Bind Death)

Kakashi turned to see an enemy ninja, still with kunai in hand, with a tree growing at his feet. It didn't stop until it became a full fledged tree, with the ninja sticking out of the side. Kurenai appeared on top of the tree and placed a kunai underneath the ninja's throat.

"What the hell is going on!?" Demanded the stunned ninja.

Kurenai tightened her grip on the kunai as it hovered just under his neck. "Shut up before I kill you. Kakashi, your turn," She called.

Kakashi approached the ninja and looked the man over. He seemed to be at least 16, and yet there was the feeling of lack of experience radiating from his body. Kakashi looked up at Kurenai. "This boy is only a genin. He must have thought he could have taken us down by himself, and disobeyed his sensei." He said.

The enemy ninja cast his eyes down in scornful shame. Kakashi looked up at the boy's headband. 'Just as I thought. He's an Oto-nin.' "So, what is a sound ninja doing out here all alone?"

"..." No answer.

Kakashi sighed. "I guess we're going to have to do this the hard way." He looked up at Kurenai and nodded. "Kill him."

Kurenai nodded. The Oto-nin's head snapped to attention at the word kill. "No, no, please don't kill me?" He begged.

Kurenai relaxed her kunai a bit. "Then talk. What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"My team and I were assigned to track down Uzumaki Naruto and capture him. And we were told that, if we were to find him with his companions, we were to kill them without hesitation. So when you all split up, we decided that it was time to act. I was told to stay behind, since I am but a genin. But I didn't want to stay behind and not do anything. I wanted to prove myself."

For a split second, Kakashi felt as if he was talking with Naruto; he snapped out of it and got serious again. "So you betrayed your commanding officer, fail in a supposed assassination attempt, and expect us to let you live?"

Tears were welling up in young Taisho's eyes. He didn't want to die. Not here; not now. "Please let me live. I promise you that I will never be a thorn in your side again!" He hung his head down and prepared for the worse.

Kakashi sighed and lifted his headband to reveal his Sharingan eye. "Well, if that's the case..." He said. Taisho's head lifted as his eyes searched for Kakashi's, only to be caught by the Sharingan. He felt sleep overwhelm him, and he collapsed.

Kurenai sighed as she released her jutsu, making the tree shrink away into nothing, allowing the genin to fall to the ground. "Sheesh Kakashi, why did you let an Oto-nin live?" She asked.

Kakashi dragged Taisho's unconscious body to some bushes. "You are aware that Orochimaru forces young boys and girls from bordering, weak villages and forces them to become ninja for him, aren't you?" He questioned.

Kurenai blew at some hair that had fallen in front of her face. "Yeah, so what?"

"Well, I suspect that this is one of those children. He was probably taken in his sleep, and forced to join the Sound Village."

"Isn't that just a theory though?" She asked.

"Yes, but this boy does not deserve to die."

Kurenai smirked as she sighed. "You're getting soft Kakashi."

Kakashi grinned behind his mask. "Maybe, but we have more pressing matters to attend to right now."

Kurenai nodded. "You're right. We must return to camp at once and try and help our students."

"You're right. I just hope they can stay alive."

They both nodded at each other and disappeared, sprinting back to the camp and forgetting the firewood.  
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"Sakura, behind you!" Shino yelled.

Sakura turned.

KABOOM!!

Sakura lied on the ground, panting in fear at the near fatal attack. Shino stood before her, panting heavily. A massive bug wall shielded them both from the attack. 

"Thank you Shino," Sakura said as she rose to her feet.

"No problem, just don't slip up again," He replied as he lowered the bug wall.

Sakura cringed as she watched the bugs travel up Shino's body and into it. She almost gagged.

Shino's eyes surveyed his environment. "Show yourself immediately!"

A faint clapping noise came piercing through the night, and a figure began to emerge in front of them, wearing an ignorant smile. "Well, well, well, you managed to dodge my surprise attack. Nothing less from a Konoha ninja," The figure said.

"It wasn't that much of a surprise," Shino said, "I could hear your sloppy foot work a mile away, and my flying insects spotted you moments ago. I just waited with a jutsu, waiting for you to make a move and expose yourself."

The man smirked. "Clever little bastard."

The man's headband flashed in the moonlight, revealing him to be a sound ninja. Sakura's brow furrowed. "What do you want with us?" She demanded.

The man raised his eyebrow and mockingly bowed. "My apologies for not introducing myself. My name is Tinikanabu Isho, and my mission is to kill the two of you." He hurled three kunai at the Konoha ninja, who easily dodged.

"Is that all you can do?" Shino questioned mockingly.

Isho smirked. "Hardly."

"Then show us what you've got."

"Watch what you say, because words are your most POWERFUL WEAPON!" Isho yelled.

Shino and Sakura's eyes widened as insurmountable pain shot through their ears like a gun bullet. Their hands raced quickly to cover their ears as their knees gave way and they buckled to the ground. Isho smirked as he moved with unpresidented speed and slammed his legs into their heads, sending them sprawling through some trees, and onto the ground.

Both Konoha ninja staggered to their feet, still clutching their still injured ears. "What the hell was that?" Sakura asked.

"I'm not sure," Shino remarked, "But whatever it was, we can't let him do it again."

Isho laughed. "Aww, what's wrong. Did my little attack hurt you? Well tough, because there's a lot more where that came from!"

"Damn you," Sakura muttered, still clinging to her ears in pain.

"You wanna know how I did it? Hmm? Well, my voice is the answer. Whenever I holler, I pour my chakra into my vocal cords, causing it to be transferred into sound waves that travel to the ear. My chakra entered your ears and began to mess with them, thanks to the thread I attached to the end of my kunai. My voice does not need to travel from cord to ear, but it is much more affective. Very clever, no? Orochimaru-sama taught me how to do that," Isho said with arrogant pride welling up in his voice.

Shino glanced at Sakura. "Sakura, we need a plan and fast."

Sakura's mind immediately began to go to work, formulating the best possible plan. Suddenly, it came to her. "I have an idea."

Isho vanished and reappeared in between the two comrades. "No you don't!" He shouted as he struck Shino and Sakura with individual fists, sending them in two different directions.

Shino caught himself in mid air and landed his feet firmly on the ground; Sakura did the same.

"Sorry, but I can't have you two trying to outwit me now, can I?" Isho asked mockingly. "Whatever plan it is you have up your sleeve, girly, is not going to work on me."

Sakura clutched her chest in pain. "Now what?"  
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Riyu and Kiba studied the man before them with baffled expressions, because they didn't really catch what he had said.

"Say that again," Kiba asked while he and Riyu were both trying not to laugh.

The stranger narrowed his eyebrows. " I sai ya wana play a gayme?"

Kiba and Riyu exchanged looks. "Okay, what's with this guy? He's either British or retarded," Riyu surmised. Kiba nodded.

"Hey! I cun here yuu. I ain no brit! I is Aito!" Aito protested. He was a slim and strong man, probably 6 and a half feet tall with a small beard and a bushy mustache.

Riyu and Kiba sighed. "Well, I guess he's not British," Riyu mocked with a grin.

Kiba picked up Akamaru and held him close to his chest. "Hang in there boy," Kiba begged his dog. Akamaru replied with a faint whimper. Kiba looked from Akamaru to Aito. 'He may be stupid as hell, but he must be fast and strong if he could catch Akamaru like that,' He thought. He glanced back down at Akamaru and then at Riyu. "Riyu, be careful. He may be stupid, but don't underestimate him."

"Whatever. Like I'll lose to a dumbass like this guy," Riyu said arrogantly.

Aito's head snapped up and his eyes glared daggers towards Riyu. "What di yu cal me?"

"A dumbass."

An alarm seemed to go off in Aito's head. "I ain't sthupid!!" He yelled.

Riyu and Kiba gasped as they felt the air around them get more dense with chakra. Their gazes drifted to the environment around Aito. Trees began to crumble, branches began to snap, and cracks ran through the ground. Both boys found it hard to breathe, but also felt glued to the earth at the same time.

"I'll shou yu whoz sthupid! I'll kill yu bothe!" He yelled as he launched himself forward at a terrifying speed at Riyu and Kiba.

Riyu's hands performed the first jutsu that came to mind. "Earth Wall no Jutsu!" He yelled as a giant wall of earth shot forth from the ground, separating Aito from Kiba and Riyu.

To Aito, the wall didn't matter. It was paper as far as he was concerned. He drew his arm back and slung it into the wall. The wall crumbled into nothing as Aito pressed on at the shocked Riyu and struck him head on with his fist, sending him flying back, smashing through several trees before stopping by slamming into a rock.

"Riyu!" Kiba called as he leapt into a tree to evade Aito.

Riyu's head struggled to rise and acknowledge his comrades shout as pain shot through his body. Riyu wasn't the strongest ninja around, but he could still take a beating. He could feel the back of his head was cracked slightly with blood leaking out of it. He forced himself to stand and stare at Aito. "What he lacks in brain, he makes up in brawn. This guy's no joke." Riyu thought aloud.

Aito looked up at Kiba as if he were a commoner. "I leve yu alone sinse yu no make fun of mee. I kil yu latre tough," He said before running at Riyu again. It didn't take him long to cross the great distance he had sent Riyu flying.

Riyu's eyes widened. 'Please help!'

Aito's fist slammed into the rock, annihilating it from existence, but Riyu was not there. Aito quickly looked up to see Riyu standing on a branch high up on a tree panting heavily.

'Thanks for help Yoshio,' Riyu thanked.

"No problem. If you die, I die. It's as simple as that," Yoshio answered before retiring in the necklace.

Riyu sped through some handseals. "Fireball no jutsu!" He yelled as 4 balls of fire shot from his mouth down at Aito.

Aito smirked. He gathered a great deal of air into his lungs and blew hard up at the fireballs, extinguishing them. However, 4 shuriken emerged from the fireballs and struck Aito in the arms, lodged in deep. Aito didn't seem to notice them, but continued to glare up at Riyu.

Riyu sped through some more handseals as he jumped from the tree to the ground behind Aito. "Lightening Rod no Jutsu!" He yelled. Suddenly, the sky seemed to fill with a few dark clouds and lightening shot down from the sky and struck Aito with a powerful lightening strike. Aito screamed in pain, but only for a moment. The second the lightening stopped, so did the screams. He turned to Riyu with an arrogant grin.

"Yu thot that wuld wurk on mae? Yu's funy. Maby yu's da sthupid won. Haha!" He said as he slammed his fist into Riyu's chest once again, sending him back a distance. He crashed through more trees before collapsing against a tree, unconscious. "Yu's al washded up? I kil yu now. So dye!" He ran at Riyu once more, fist ready to strike Riyu's face and smash it all to pieces. He swung, only to be stopped by something else.

Kiba's foot connected with Aito's head, forcing him to stumble and miss his target; instead, slamming his fist into another tree. He turned and glared at Kiba.

"Sorry, dumbass, but your fight is with me now. Right boy?" Kiba asked, glancing up at the still weak dog that sat atop his head. "Arff!" Akamaru agreed as both master and dog prepared for a fight.  
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Higo threw his kunai at Naruto and Hinata, who skillfully leapt into the tree. The kunai embedded themselves into the tree and exploded. Naruto and Hinata quickly leapt to another tree, only to be met by Higo, who threw his fist at the two of them. Hinata leapt over the arm, while Naruto caught his fist and threw him down to the ground.

Higo caught himself and landed on his feet. "Not bad kids. Naruto-kun, I must applaud your genius," He said as his eyes ventured to look behind him. Another Naruto stood behind him with a kunai jabbed against his back, while the real one remained up in the tree with Hinata.

"Are you okay Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked.

"Hai," She answered.

Higo began to clap. It started in low, then it started to grow into a fierce and rapid applause. Naruto's clone's eyes widened in pain before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. The real Naruto and Hinata's eyes widened as well as pain enveloped their heads, causing them both to collapse to their knees as they covered their ears with their hands. 

Suddenly, the tree the Konoha shinobi were standing in gave way and collapsed, taking Naruto and Hinata down with it. Higo smirked as he walked to the remains of the tree. He dug through until he found Naruto. He picked the orange ninja up by the scruff of his neck, while Naruto's eyes struggled to open.

"You're good Naruto-kun, but not good enough. Come now, we should get you back to Otogakure right away." Higo said.

Naruto smirked and stared Higo directly in the eyes. "I refuse to go with you."

Suddenly, Naruto and Hinata's body both disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving Higo in a short state of shock. "Kage bunshin! Kuso!" He said aloud. Hearing footsteps close by behind his back, Higo back flipped, narrowly avoiding a stab at his back by Naruto. Higo made contact with the ground and then sent his foot directly into Naruto's back. This Naruto also disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Higo sighed. "Naruto-kun, you can't hide from me forever. You'll eventually have to attack me with your real body, so come on out already."

Meanwhile, a safe distance away in a tree, Naruto and Hinata watched their opponent. Hinata had her Byakugan activated.

"So? How did he do that attack?" Naruto asked in a hushed voice.

"He seems to be infusing his chakra into the sound waves he creates via his claps. They are quite strong, seeing as the sound waves were able to take down a tree and shred it into tiny pieces." Hinata answered.

Naruto's eyes widened for a moment. This was the longest sentence that he had ever heard Hinata say without stuttering. He smiled to himself before turning his attention back to the task at hand.

"How far is his range?" Naruto asked.

"About 6 meters." 

"We need to find a way to get around it and take him out."

"Yes, but how?" Hinata asked as her byakugan eyes faded away. She turned to meet Naruto's eyes, and couldn't help but blush a bit.

Naruto smiled. "I think we should try our attack."

Hinata's eyes widened. "Are you sure? We haven't even fully tested it yet."

"Sure we have. Remember? We used a kage bunshin as a target. I made him strong and everything," Naruto said. He even remembered how much the clone protested about being the test dummy.

"Yes, but that was just a clone. This man...he really... wants to...kill us." Hinata's eyes began to fill with worry.

Naruto grabbed Hinata's shoulders and turned her so that her body was facing his, and her eyes met his. "Hinata-chan, please believe in me when I tell you that this will work. You have my word."

Hinata fell into Naruto's eyes and believed every word he told her. The worry in her eyes vanished and became hope and determination. She nodded enthusiastically. "Let's do it."

"Great!" Naruto said. "Here's how it's gonna go-"

"You two talk too much," Higo said from behind the two. Naruto and Hinata's heads snapped up, only to feel two separate kunai under their chins, poised at their necks. He was ready to kill at least one of them.  
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"If you don't mind girly, I'm gonna deal with the big boy first!" Isho yelled at Sakura before turning his attention back towards Shino.

Sakura smirked. 'Heh, fool. This gives me plenty of time to prepare my attack,' She thought. " That Shovenistical bastard! How dare he be sexist! I'll kill the shit out of him!" Inner Sakura boomed. Sakura began taking out the necessary equipment in order to perform her attack.

Isho smirked at Shino, who stood before him without a look of worry. "I'm sorry it has to come to this, but orders are orders. You know how it works, don't you?" He asked with loads of sarcasm.

"You talk too much," Shino replied.

"Heh, I agree. Maybe we should fight instead of talk a meaningless conversation."

"Fine," Shino said. He put his hands into a seal. "Mushi Kame no Jutsu!" (Bug Jar Technique) Bugs emerged out of Shino's body and began to fly around him in a dome shape at high speed.

"Trying to hide, eh? That won't work. GAH!!" Isho shouted, easily disrupting the bug shield. Isho quickly ran to Shino and slashed at his body with a poison tipped kunai.

It struck Shino's neck, severing his head from his neck. Isho smirked, then scowled. Shino's head transformed into bugs, and began to rebuild itself onto the body. The real Shino stood in a tree above Isho and leapt out of the tree. Shino slammed three kunai into Isho's belly before darting away. Isho clutched his belly in pain before removing the kunai quickly.

"Not bad, but you missed my vital spots," Isho commented. "And your technique was flawless. While hiding inside your dome, you quickly made a mushi bunshin to stand inside of the dome, while you left it, waiting for me to strike. While I was distracted by your clone, you could easily attack me from above."

"Heh, exactly," Shino said.

"Clever, but you are still a genin, at genin level. I am a chunin. That means I'm superior."

"Just because you can call yourself a chunin doesn't mean that you are a chunin. That is unwise, if you are still as weak as a genin."

A vein began to throb in Isho's head. "Really? You're dead."

Shino took his place behind the bug clone, preparing for a fight. His eyes ventured briefly towards Sakura, who was busy placing tiny sheets of paper into several pink pouches. His gaze reverted back to Isho, who was charging at full speed. He smashed his way through the bug clone, destroying it once again, and threw a fist at Shino.

Shino leaned back far enough to dodge the attack, and quickly swung his legs, taking Isho's legs out from under him. Isho landed on his butt with a thud, while Shino sprang into the air and threw several shuriken down onto him. Isho quickly rolled out of the way, avoiding the kunai. Isho leapt up to his feet and screamed as loud as he could.

Shino's vision faded and he lost brief consciousness, forcing him to fall to the ground. Isho took advantage and raced towards Shino's body. He picked him up by the scruff of his neck and looked him straight in the sunglasses. "You thought you could defeat me?" Isho asked. He pulled a kunai from his pouch and stabbed Shino in the chest. Shino cried out in pain as Isho threw him aside, kunai still protruding out of his chest.

"Shino!" Sakura yelled.

Isho turned to look at her with a smirk on his face. "I almost forgot about you," He said, looking Sakura over; she had several kunai in her hands with small sacks tied to the end of them. "What do you intend to accomplish with those foolish weapons, hmm?"

"Come at me and find out," Sakura baited.

Isho shook his head sarcastically. "Foolish, naive child. I'll show you what's what in this world," He said. 

Isho ran straight at Sakura at full speed, but that's exactly what Sakura wanted. She hurled several kunai at Isho. He stopped and smirked. "Foolish," He commented before yelling once again. His voice acted as a shield against the kunai, and this was also according to Sakura's plan. While deflecting the kunai, Isho's voice caused the small, pink sacks to break and scatter the small tags on himself on the area surrounding him. He also caught sight of small blossoms filling the air. He looked himself over.

"What the hell is this?" He asked, seeing all of the explosive tags on his body.

Sakura smirked. "Your death," She stated as she threw another kunai with an explosive tag at Isho, causing them to ignite. A massive explosion followed where Isho once stood. Isho died instantly, along with whatever nature was caught in the explosion.

After the explosion subsided, Sakura ran to Shino's side. "Shino, are you okay?" She asked, feeling his arm for a pulse. It was there.

"I'm...fine. Please remove the kunai," He asked. Sakura obeyed and gently pulled it out. She immediately began healing his wounded chest. "Is he dead?" He asked. She nodded. "Good."

Once Sakura was finished, she and Shino stood up. "I think we should get back to the camp," Sakura said.

Shino nodded. The two vanished, heading back to the camp as fast as possible.  
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"Wha id yu cawl mei?" Aito asked, tightening his fist.

"You heard me. I called you a dumbass. You hurt my dog, and now I want a little payback," Kiba said.

Aito threw his fist swiftly at Kiba, who barely managed to dodge. He jumped a good, safe distance away from Aito.

Kiba looked up at the dog on his head. "Akamaru, I know you're hurt bud, but I need you for this fight. What do you say, Are you up for it?" He asked. "Arf!" Akamaru answered, jumping down from Kiba's head to the ground, but still flinching when he made contact. "Good boy, and you did remember to use Dynamic Marking on him before he attacked you, right?" Again, Akamaru barked in confirmation. "Good boy."

Aito screamed and charged at Kiba again, but this time Kiba was ready. He leaned down and put his hands into a seal. "Shikyku no Jutsu." (Four Legs Technique) Instantly, Kiba's nails lengthened into claws and his hair grew. Akamaru leapt up onto his back. "Jujin bunshin!" (Beast Human Clone) Akamaru transformed into Kiba.

Aito didn't care, as long as he got to pound something, he was content. He decided to kill the both of them, and increased his speed.

Kiba smirked as he and Akamaru ran at Aito. A few feet from each other, they split. Aito's eyes couldn't keep up with their speed. 'They fast,' He thought.

Out of nowhere, he heard Kiba yell "Tsuuga!" (Piercing Fang), followed by sharp and intense pains to spring forth from his body.

Kiba and Akamaru spun at a ferocious speed, delivering many powerful attacks everytime they made contact with Aito. Scratches and scars began to appear on Aito. After a few seconds, Aito felt that he had gotten used to the speed and the pattern. He quickly outstretched his arms and caught both Akamaru and Kiba, and threw them high into the air. Kiba and Akamaru went up and plummeted down to Aito, who slammed both of them with individual fists, sending them through several trees and even through a boulder.

"That wat yu git win yu mes wit mey," Aito said as he walked boldly to Riyu's body. He hoisted his limp body up by the scruff of the collar of his shirt. "I ain't sthupid, am ay?"

Suddenly, Riyu's eyes shot open and flames spewed from his mouth, striking a surprised and confused Aito directly in the face. He dropped Riyu in his panic, who still lacked the energy to get up and run. "You are stupid, you stupid son of a bitch. Kiba! If you're gonna attack, do it now!" Riyu yelled.

"I'm working on it" Kiba yelled from around the boulder. "Jinjuu Konbi Henge: Sotoro!" (Man Beast Combination: Double-Headed Wolf) Kiba and Akamaru transformed into a large, double-headed wolf and leapt out to attack Aito. "Here we go! Garooga!" (Double Wolf Fang) The double-headed wolf began to spin rapidly and, thanks to Akamaru's Dynamic Marking, the wolf was guided to his target, Aito.

Aito had no way of knowing what was happening, nor was he aware of the loud whoosh coming at him. The last thing he ever felt was excruciating pain on his head due to the fire, and the brief pain at his chest before being severed in half, dying instantly from Kiba and Akamaru's attack. Aito's severed body fell to the ground as blood began to encompass the ground.

Kiba undid the transformation. As soon as it was done, Akamaru collapsed from exhaustion. Kiba gently picked him up and placed him in his jacket. He was thankful. It was just by sure, dumb luck that they had actually managed to hit their target. He walked over to Riyu and picked him up as best he could. He slung Riyu's arm around his shoulders and started to carry the semiconscious Riyu back to the camp. He could tell then that Riyu was on the verge of death.  
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Higo grinned at his supposed checkmate. He had captured the Kyuubi and the Hyuga heiress. He was sure to get a reward for this. That was the future, but now he knew that he had to focus on the present; he wasn't out of the woods yet. "Come now, Naruto-kun. You don't want me to kill the girl, do you?"

Both teens' eyes widened. "What?" Naruto asked angrily.

"If you refuse, I'll kill the girl. It's as simple as that."

Naruto lowered his head. "Never threaten her, ever again you coward."

Higo tilted his head playfully. "Why?"

Within half a second, Naruto's head spun around to reveal 6 dark marks on his cheeks and two red orbs with red slits in them. "Because I'll kill you!" Naruto's fist connected with Higo's chin, breaking it and sending him sprawling.

'Naruto-kun,' Hinata thought.

Naruto decided it was best to return to normal instead of further attacking as Kyuubi-Naruto in order to hide his secret from Hinata. His cheek scars returned to normal, as well as his eyes. He turned to Hinata with worried eyes.

She saw his eyes just flicker from red to blue, but decided to let it go for now. "Are you okay, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked.

Hinata smiled at Naruto and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine Naruto-kun."

"Good. Let's go start our combo before he gets back up on his feet."

"Hai!"

Naruto and Hinata leapt out of the tree and onto the forest floor. Naruto made 5 shadow clones while Hinata turned her byakugan on. Higo was starting to stand back up, but blood was pouring from his chin and the back of his head.

"Ready Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked.

"Hai!" She responded.

"Then let's do it!" He yelled.

Hinata got behind the clones as they ran at Higo. The first Naruto struck Higo in the face. "U!" Hinata jumped off of his back and into the air. Higo stumbled back, now with blood in his eyes. The Naruto clones then proceeded to kick him into the air. "ZU!" "MA!" "KI!"

Higo flew up into the air, his chest the highest part of his body, only to be met with Hinata descending from the sky. She slammed her powerful Juuken directly down into his chest a few times with a powerful force. "Hyuuga!" She yelled.

Higo sped to the ground, only to be met with two Narutos, both with red slitted eyes and a giant rasengan in their hands. It was the Oodama Rasengan. "Renden!" Both Naruto and Hinata yelled as Naruto struck Higo with the Oodama Rasengan flat in the chest, obliterating his body completely.

Hinata landed on the ground with as much grace as she could muster, but still fell towards Naruto, who caught her in a hugging embrace, completely by accident. The two looked at each other and blushed before releasing one another.

"We need to get back to camp. To, you know, check on the others and make sure they're all okay," Naruto said.

"H-hai Naruto-kun," Hinata agreed. They shot off towards the camp, where everyone else was gathering as well.  
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"I see, so you were ambushed as well," Kakashi stated while talking with Shino, Kiba, Naruto, and Hinata. Sakura was sitting by the side of the camp, treating Riyu's severe wounds. Which, as of now, was not so life threatening.

"Geese Riyu, you're sure getting your ass kicked lately," Sakura commented while bandaging Riyu's arm.

Riyu moaned. "Shut up Sakura."

She sighed and slapped him on the back of the head. Riyu cried out in pain and grabbed the back of his head. "Why did you do that?" He cried.

"Sorry Riyu. My bad!" Sakura said.

Kakashi's companions nodded. "Yeah, some Oto-nin attacked Hinata-chan and I, but we gave him what for. Right, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked gloatingly. Hinata nodded with a smile.

"Well, whatever the case, Kakashi and I disarmed all of the traps that were set at our campsite. It's safe for tonight," Kurenai said.

"But just to be safe, we'll be sleeping in shifts tonight. I'll take the first shift, and Naruto will take the second shift. Agreed?" Kakashi asked. His fellow ninja nodded. "Okay, we'll start back up tomorrow morning at 0700 hours. Everyone, go to sleep."

Everyone nodded and retired to each respective tent. They deserved a good night's sleep.  
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Phew, finally done with that chapter. I'm so excited! The first Naruto movie is coming out on June 6, the day before I leave for Gatlinburg for the weekend, and then I go to Ohio to visit my family and Kings Island, which is a theme park. I'll be gone for a little over a week, but I may be able to update if I can get a hold of her laptop and I bring my flash drive. Anyway, I'm definitely going to go and see the Naruto movie in IMAX with my girlfriend.

Oh, and sorry for the delay. If you want a good excuse, go check out my Youtube page. I've made 30 videos.

Latest news: My friend and beta has said that he will work on a doujin for Fusion. No promises yet.

Now for the reviews:

Soraku92: Thanks, and I will definitely try to look at your story. I promise. Thanks for the review.

EvilNaruto15: Eh, I think I'll stick with the shuriken and kunai. Those seem to work for him. Thanks for the review.

Demiun: Welcome to the story. It's always good to have someone new come. And any friend of Major Hinata Fan's is a friend of mine. Welcome to the story, and thanks for the review.

Korhil Tohru: Hehe, I gotta be mean to them every once in a while. It just adds to the drama, I guess. Thanks for the review.

TenTenRox1010: Sweet! I have a fan! Welcome to the story, and I hope I helped you when I explained how to upload stories. Your review was probably the best I have gotten so far. Thank you!

Tiger982305: Thanks for the review.

Major Hinata Fan: I have already mentioned who Riyu gets with. I snuck a lot of information into the story in the first chapter. Go back and double check. He's Asian. He won't tell me. Lol. Thanks for the review.

Sika'sheart: I actually know all that. I was originally too lazy to put the 2 u's in there. I'm lazy by nature. And I'm completely up to date with everything Naruto. I'm on chapter 356, which is the current chapter. And if you haven't figured it out by now, this story is way different from the main story. I just needed to change some things around for the story to work, and for the final fight to be friggin sweet! Thanks for the review.

Boby09: Stupid Oto-ninja! He got what was coming to him. Thanks for the review.

Pyro-chan the dragon king: Then how about the dignity of Naruto/Sasuke and Naruto/Sakura fans?

Weasel Debater: Maybe. You will have to read to find out. That cat might work. Thanks for the review.

Almostinsane: How could I forget that?! I can't believe it! I'm an idiot. I'll go back and fix it later. Nice catch. Thanks for the review.

T.O.B: Well, that sounds interesting. I'll definitely read it. And, for the love of God, please give me your e-mail address so we can talk directly. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks for the review.

Dragon Man 180: Yeah, I feel sorry for him too. Oh well, it can't be helped. Thanks for the review.

Rasenganfin: You're welcome, and I haven't given them to him yet. And thanks, I am a genius, aren't I? Thanks for the review.

And remember, no matter what anyone tells you, I will not discontinue this story. I will keep writing until the series is complete.

Remember, 5 reviews or no update.


	17. Ch 16 Detour

Hey everyone. Did ya miss me? Anywhoo, here's the next chapter. However, I'm a little mad right now. Youtube terminated my account. I didn't do anything wrong, and they're supposed to give me at least 24 hours to remove an objectionable video or else they will terminate the account. They gave me 5 minutes, but I read the email 10 minutes after they sent it to me. I'm in the midst of begging for my account back, but I may need your help.

If it comes to it, I will ask whoever reading this that has a youtube account to send a message to youtube for me. If I can get my account back, you'll get two chapters next time instead of one. How great is that. All I really want is to be reinstated into youtube. I don't even have to get my account back. I at least want a new one.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. I used to own a youtube account...On the bright side, I do own Riyu and Zulku.

**...Ch. 16 Detour...**

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The next morning, everyone woke up bright and early. After they ate their small meal made up of fruit, they packed up camp and left. Nothing much happened for two days. They walked during the day, ate in the evening, and retired at nightfall. Every night, Kakashi was first on lookout, Kiba was second, and Naruto was last and got the least amount of sleep.

However, on the third day...

"It's so boring!" Naruto exclaimed once again as they walked down the path to the Wave country.

"Well, what did you expect?" Kakashi asked. "You remember the last time we came here. It took us five days. However, last time we didn't have an injured member of our team." Kakashi was referring to Riyu, who had taken a brutal beating a few days ago.

He had almost fully recovered, but everyday Riyu's wounds would open up, forcing the group to halt so Sakura could take a look at him. Now, he only had a minor limp. Sakura surmised that his left leg would be better within the next few days. However, that didn't make Riyu feel better.

Riyu cast his eyes downward in shame and guilt.

"Hey, Riyu was just doing the best he could." Naruto protested.

"I'm not saying he wasn't. All I'm saying is, we've fallen behind scheduel," Kakashi said.

Riyu put on an arrogant smile. "Yeah, and I would have wailed on that guy too, I just didn't expect him to be that strong."

"Yeah," Kiba started, "That's actually the only reason I managed to beat him. If it wasn't for Riyu showing me that that ugly giant was that strong, we wouldn't be here right now."

Riyu grinned slightly. "True."

Sakura sighed. "Anyway, Kakashi-sensei, how did Orochimaru know where we were, and about Naruto being the bearer of the map?"

"I'm not sure Sakura. It could be that there was someone else with us in that temple. Or there was a spy in the village. It's hard to call. What matters is that they know where we are heading, so-"

"So we need to get there as fast as possible." Kurunai finished. Kakashi nodded. "Yes, we must hurry."

"Hold on a minute," Naruto said, "If Orochimaru knows where we are going, then how do we know he isn't tracking our every move?"

"Well, I think it's because he assumed his four assassins would do their jobs. He might have a plan B, but I think we're safe from that for another couple of days." Kakashi answered as his eyes ventured to the sky, observing the approaching clouds. "And, as of right now, our only concern is if it rains or not."

"Why?" Kiba asked.

"Because I don't think any of you want to be caught in a severe thunderstorm. If it's just rain, then we won't have to stop. But if it pours we'll-"

"Oh yeah! Hotel! Nice comfy bed!" Sakura interrupted loudly, thinking of the confort of a bed.

"Uhh...Sakura...that's an if," Riyu stated.

Sakura gave Riyu a death glare. "Shut up Riyu. It's my fantasy!" Sakura said, and Riyu could have sworn she said it with the devil's voice.

Riyu gulped and nodded.

"Anyway, if threatening storms do come our way, we'll seek refuge in the nearest inn." Kakashi finished.

The clouds got darker.

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Later that day, as the clouds began to turn pitch black and grow, the winds picked up drastically. Trees were forced to bend and sway, almost to the point of breaking. However, no rain had fallen yet. And as Naruto and the others continued their trek, the weather only got worse. It was getting harder and harder to walk.

"Is this weather bad enough yet?" Sakura asked loudly.

Kakashi glanced up at the sky to see the clouds that could unleash the possible life threatening storm. He turned to Kurunai and nodded. "Yes. Hinata, please use your Byakuugan to check for any form of shelter nearby." He asked.

"H-hai," Hinata answered as she activated her kekkai genkai. She surveyed the area for about a minute.

"Well?" Naruto asked impatiently, looking from a scared Riyu to Hinata.

Riyu was trembling where he stood. He was afraid of violent storms. Ever since he was a little boy, storms had frightened him. He didn't really know why.

Suddenly, something caught Hinata's eye. She quickly deactivated her bloodline limit and turned back to the others.

"Th-there's a small v-village about 100 kilometers from here. I-if we hurry, we c-can make it before we g-get caught in a downpour," Hinata answered proudly.

"You heard the lady, let's get going," Kakashi said.

Everyone nodded and started to run. They ran as fast as their legs would carry them until they reached the outside of the village. Now, thunder could be heard echoing throughout the woods, and lightening began to flash. The group looked up at the sign, which read:

**KomagaGakure. Please make yourself at home at our fabulous and cheap inn.**

"Let's go!" Kiba yelled as they all bound into the village. Taking brief glances around the village, they noticed that it was indeed small. There were a few shops, homes, and the inn that sat before them. It was fairly big, about 8 floors, and was painted blue. The sign above it read; **Komaga Inn. Cash only please.**

Kakashi opened the door, and everyone else ran into the inn. Once everyone was inside, Kakashi and Kurunai walked up to the counter, while the others sat in the lobby. The inn was nice. It had a large lobby, complete with comfy chairs and couches, and even a chandelier. The front desk was small, with many empty boxes on the wall behind it next to a door that lead to the employee lounge. Kakashi approached the desk and rang the bell a few times.

Soon, an old woman came out of the door to greet her guests. She wore a pink kimono with her gray hair wrapped in a bun.

The old lady smiled at her guests. "Greetings. My name is Kagura, and I am the innkeeper. How many and for how long?" She asked sweetly.

"There are 8 of us, so 4 rooms should do. And we will be staying for 1 night, that is, if you have 4 rooms." Kurunai answered.

"Well of course. We rarely get guests. A couple of years ago, we used to get guests from all around the world. But nowadays, we rarely see many new faces. Shall I take you to your rooms?" Kagura asked as Kakashi handed her a small pouch of money. She opened the register and placed it in there.

"Yes please," Kakashi answered. He turned to the genin. "Okay guys, here's how we'll split up. Riyu and Naruto will share a room, Sakura and Hinata will share, Kiba and Shino, and Kurunai and I. Is that okay?"

Everyone nodded. Kagura walked out from behind the desk and led the way to the elevator at the other end of the inn. All the genin felt uneasy about using an elevator, because, since they were from Konoha where no elevators existed, they didn't know what one was. Kakashi and Kurunai assured them that they were perfectly safe, but they still didn't like it. Kagura pushed the **8** button on the wall as the door slid shut.

As the elevator began to ascend, the genin felt nervous. Since Naruto was right next to Hinata, her hand instinctively ventured to his and clutched it tightly in fright. She had no idea what she was really doing, and apparently, neither did Naruto, because he grabbed hers too.

Sakura saw this and immediately became jealous, along with Kiba. Everyone else saw this and grinned (except for Shino).

Once the elevator _dinged_, signaling that they were on the top floor, the doors opened and they walked out.

Riyu turned back to the elevator to see it shut on its own with no one in there, causing his eyes to widen. "I'm never going in that haunted elevator again." He said to himself as he turned back to the group.

Kagura led them down the hall and stopped halfway through. She produced a small ring with keys attached to it and unlocked a door to the left. "Okay, you two boys, Naruto and Riyu, will sleep in this room" She turned around to the parallel door and unlocked it. "The two young females will sleep in this room," She walked to the room next to that one. "The other two young men will sleep here," then she turned to the parallel door of that room, " And the adults will sleep in this room."

Kakashi bowed to Kagura. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Kagura smiled. "It's no problem. And besides, it's the-"

"Stop it! Stop it! Please!" A voice yelled from further down the hall. Naruto let go of Hinata's hand, much to her dismay when she learned that he gripped her hand back, and made his way to the front of the group. He peered down the hall and saw something that always made him angry.

There was a petite little girl, probably around 6 years old, being shoved, laughed at, teased. The ones causing her this pain were two boys that appeared to be 11. They were both fat, and apparent bullies as they dangled a picture over the little girls head, and laughed as she cried.

Naruto growled under his breath as he glared at the two boys. He rolled up his sleeves and stomped down the hallway.

"Bullies really piss me off," Riyu commented. He, too, getting angry.

"Naruto-kun..." Hinata said under her breath.

Kagura looked curiously at Naruto, and then at Kakashi. "What is the matter with him?"

"Well, it's kind of complicated, but when Naruto was young, he and his friend Riyu were the subject of a lot of bullying. My guess is that Naruto can't stand to see bullies picking on helpless people," Kakashi stated.

Kagura nodded and turned back to Naruto. '_I see, but why her of all people.'_ She thought.

The two boys laughed hysterically as they continued to mess with their prey. "Come on orphan, jump for it. How else are you gonna get it back?" One of the boys asked.

The little girl stifled a sob. "Give it back! That's my mommy and daddy! Give it!" She cried between tears as she attempted to jump for it, but a boy just shoved her back down.

"And whose gonna make us, huh orphan?" The other boy said as they started laughing again.

"That would be me," Came a voice from behind the boys. They were startled by the new voice, but turned to see the new guest. As they looked up to see a very angry Naruto's face, they felt fear wash over their entire bodies; They began to tremble as Naruto picked them up by the scruff of their collars. "Now, what's going on here?"

"Nothing, Mr. Big Tall Giant sir. We were just playing a game." The left boy said.

"Really? What kind of game?" Naruto asked.

"Uhh...Uhh...Please let us go," They both begged.

Naruto sighed. "Fine, but first, I want you guys to give her that picture back and apologize."

"Yes, of course. We're sorry Kimiko. Here!" The right boy dropped the photo onto the ground.

"Good, now leave," Naruto said. He dropped the boys, who immediately took off, pushing their way past Naruto's friends. Naruto picked up the picture and saw what appeared to be a very happy family. There was a beautiful woman, a strong man, and the little girl in front of him, all smiling. However, this little girl in front of him now was curled up into a ball, crying. Naruto walked over to her and crouched down, extending his hand to give her the picture. "Kimiko-chan, is this yours?" He asked.

The young girl known as Kimiko raised her head to see Naruto extending his hand. She saw the picture and gently took it from his hand and pressed it against her chest. "Thank you," She mumbled.

Naruto smiled. "You're very welcome. But why were they calling you Orphan anyway?" He asked.

"...It's cuz mommy and daddy left a while ago. Other kids say tat mommy and daddy didn't want me anymore..." Kimiko said before succumbing to tears again.

Naruto placed his hand on the top of her head. Curious, she lifted her head to meet Naruto's smiling face. "Don't listen to them. Why would anyone wanna be away from you? I can already tell you're a great kid."

"...sniff...Do you mean it?" She asked.

"Yep. I bet that they miss you right now more than anything."

Kimiko couldn't handle it and leapt at Naruto, embracing him in a hug.

Meanwhile, the females in the group simply tilted their heads and went "Awww."

"He's so great with kids," Sakura said. Hinata nodded.

Riyu lowered his head and thought about what Naruto taught Konohamaru the day he met him and chuckled to himself. _'Yeah right. His future wife had better pray they have girls.'_ Riyu thought in humor.

Kimiko stopped hugging Naruto and stood up fully. She spotted Kagura amongst the group and ran over to her. "Hi Grandma," She said cheerfully, all evidence of her crying gone.

"Grandma?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, this is my granddaughter, Kimiko. Kimiko, meet our guests." Kagura said.

Kimiko waved to everyone cheerfully, and everyone waved back. Naruto walked back up and rejoined the group.

Suddenly, a loud _BOOM_ was heard, followed by hard pounding on the roof, indicating that it was raining very hard.

"How long are they staying, Grandma?" Kimiko asked.

"Just for the night, sweetie," Kagura answered.

Kimiko looked really disappointed, so Naruto leaned down and smiled. "It's okay, Kimiko-chan. We'll hang out tomorrow morning, before I leave. How does that sound."

"Okay," Kimiko answered happily.

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. '_This is exactly what Naruto needs. Something to take his mind off of the vision,_' Kakashi thought.

Riyu yawned. "Well, I'm beat. I'm gonna turn in. Goodnight everyone," He said. He walked into the room without waiting for a response.

"Riyu's got the right idea," Kakashi said, "I think we should all turn in for the night."

Everyone nodded and began walking to their own respective rooms.

Hinata hung back at Naruto's door as she watched Naruto hug Kimiko and tell her goodnight. As Naruto approached his room, Hinata felt her heart beat faster. '_ Come on Hinata, all you have to do is tell him goodnight. You can do this. You can do this,'_ She thought.

When Naruto reached his door and Hinata still hadn't said anything, Naruto stopped and turned to her. "Goodnight Hinata-chan," He said.

Hinata gulped. "G-g-g-goodnight, Naruto-kun," She said.

Naruto smiled and went into the room and shut the door. Hinata wore a massive grin all the way to her room.

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It had been at least an hour since they had settled down for the night, and Naruto still couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he would see his friends all dying all over again. No matter what, nothing would distract these horrific nightmares. Naruto decided to look around the room once more. There were two beds, his and Riyu's, 2 windows on the wall that showed an extremely violent storm playing outside, a small couch, and a table. That was it.

Naruto looked over at Riyu, who was sound asleep.

"Psst. Riyu. Are you awake?" Naruto whispered. There was no response. "Riyu," Naruto tried a little louder. Still, there was no response. Naruto took one of his pillows and threw it at Riyu's head, finally awakening him. He sat up quickly, looking around until his eyes landed on Naruto.

"What?" He asked harshly. Riyu hated to be woken up.

"How can you sleep?" Naruto asked.

Riyu rolled his eyes. "Watch, I'll demonstrate," He said as he went to lay back down.

"No, No! How can you sleep, knowing that if we don't do something within 2 months, all of our friends will die?" Naruto asked.

"Is that what this is about?" Riyu asked; Naruto nodded. Riyu sighed. "Listen Naruto. I know all of that, but I also know that I have to get my sleep, or else I can't give this mission 110."

"I know that, but I just can't sleep. Every time I try, I just see everyone dying."

"Then just try thinking of happy things."

"I've tried that. I've thought about Ichiraku's ramen, but that didn't work. I thought about being the Hokage, but that didn't work. I thought about-"

"I get it, you thought about a lot. Did you think about people?"

"...Not really."

"Then try thinking about someone you care about. Try that, and get back to me in the morning." Riyu finished. He turned over, and was asleep in an instant.

Naruto decided to take Riyu's advice and laid his head back down onto the pillow. He closed his eyes and thought of all the people in his life. Soon, he found one that helped coax him into sleeping. '_Hinata-chan._'

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Kagura stood at the front desk, sorting out the money Kakashi had given her, and looking out the window at the same time. She knew they were coming tonight. They always came every Friday. The last time they were here, they...She didn't want to think about what they did. She just wished they would never return.

And so, when she saw the bright lights, she wasn't shocked. When she saw the muscular men get off their motorcycles, she wasn't startled. She just hoped that the children were well hidden this time. Or else. All she did was press her hands to her chest and allowed a few tears to slip from her eyes.

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The men got off of their bikes and casually approached the inn, ignoring the immense amount of rain. There were two of them, both muscular and bald. When they opened the door to the inn and approached the front desk, they grinned evilly.

"Greetings miss. Word on the street is you have a couple of children amongst your guests," One of the men said.

"Why, Kenchi-san, what would have ever given you that idea?" Kagura asked as discreetly as she could.

Kenchi slammed his fist on the desk. "You know damn well what I'm talking about," He said. He looked over at his partner and nodded. His partner hoisted the frightened form of a boy up. In fact, it was one of the boys who bullied Kimiko earlier. He was trembling and crying softly. "This little punk, along with his brother, told us that there were a couple of teens upstairs, staying in this inn. Now, we've been pretty lenient about you. You wouldn't want us to take your granddaughter away from you, would you?"

Kagura's heart skipped a beat as she trembled where she stood. "I don't know what you mean. I have no-"

"Cut the crap!" Kenchi shouted. "We know all about your granddaughter. And the deal was that you give us other children, and we leave your little family alone. Do you want me to kill you and that little brat?"

"Please just leave us be. Haven't you taken enough people away from our village?" Kagura begged.

"It's enough when the boss says it's enough, miss. Now, tell me where they are, or I burn down this sad excuse for an inn."

Kagura lowered her head in defeat. "They're on the top floor. Rooms 810 through 813."

"Was that so hard? Kenshito, go upstairs and deal with those teenagers. I'll keep this little old lady company." He said.

Kenshito nodded and walked to the elevator. He entered, and the elevator took him straight up, to the top floor.

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Naruto was awoken from his happy dream involving him and Hinata, by a loud banging at the door. Riyu's eyes briefly opened. He lifted his arm and pointed at the door, before his arm became limp again.

Naruto sighed, figuring it was Kiba or Kakashi at the door. He slipped out of bed and made his way to the door. He opened the door and saw a tall man with some weird metallic object in his hands. (its a gun, people) The foreign object went directly to Naruto's forehead, just hovering before it.

"You're not Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said, still half asleep.

"Of course not," The man sneered as he cocked his gun.

Naruto's eyes ventured to the gun at his forehead. "What's this?" He asked.

"It's called a gun, kid. And if you wanna live long enough to see the light of day again, I suggest you wake your friend there up and come with me, or else I'll fill you full of lead."

Now, Naruto knew two things. 1, this was a bad man. And 2, guns could kill you. Naruto turned around to obey, seeing Riyu asleep and...'_Wait a minute. Riyu's asleep. And the pillow I threw at him is right at my feet,_' Naruto thought, looking down at the pillow. He leaned over to pick it up, and threw it at Riyu.

Riyu sat up quickly. His widened eyes surveyed Naruto and the new guy, who kept pointing a weird object back and forth at the two boys. "Who the hell did that?!" Riyu demanded.

Naruto pointed at Kenshito innocently. "He did."

Riyu glared at Kenshito and, with lightening fast handseals, shot several fireballs at him. Kenshito was lifted up off of his feet and sent back, crashing through the other wall and into Kiba and Shino's room.

Naruto grinned at Riyu. "Nice going."

"Thanks. Who was that anyway?" Riyu questioned.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno, but whoever he was, he wanted to kill us."

"Then that prick got what he deserved. But now I can't go to sleep," Riyu said before getting out of bed and throwing his shorts on.

"Why?"

"Because now I wanna know why he was after us." He stated. Naruto nodded.

Naruto and Riyu made their way to the hallway, as everyone else came out wondering what was going on. Naruto quickly explained as Kiba and Shino tied up the newcomer.

"Hmmm, that is strange. What could this man want with you?" Kakashi asked.

Riyu and Naruto shrugged.

"Could he have been sent from Orochimaru?" Kurunai asked.

Kakashi shook his head. "No, if he was sent by Orochimaru, then he would have been at least a ninja. Look at that handgun. That is clearly not a shinobi weapon." Kurunai nodded.

"So, what should we do with him?" Kiba asked, tightening the rope as his prisoner began to regain consciousness.

"We'll interrogate him. Find out why he was trying to kidnap you two."

Everyone nodded. When the man came to, he found himself surrounded by strange looking people. He tried to move, but found ropes binding him down. He couldn't move. He was trapped. "What's going on here?" He demanded.

"We were going to ask you the same thing," Kakashi stated. "Why did you try to kidnap Naruto and Riyu?"

"Who?" Kenshito asked.

"Those two boys over there," Kakashi said, pointing at Naruto and Riyu.

"Oh, I'm not telling you anything."

Kurunai approached him and leaned over, giving him the most seductive face she could. "Please tell me why."

The man's face turned red before turning away. "No."

_SLAP!! _

Kurunai slapped his face and walked away.

"So, are you sure you're not gonna talk?" Kakashi asked. The man shook his head, making Kakashi sigh. He nodded to Kiba and Shino.

"Sweet dreams," Kiba joked as Shino bashed the man's head with a table, smashing it to pieces, and knocking him unconcious.

Riyu leaned over to Naruto. "That was a bit overkill, wasn't it?" He asked.

"Yeah, but don't question Shino. We have no idea what he'll do to us." Naruto whispered back.

Kakashi turned to his team. "We'll deal with him tomorrow. As of right now, we should-"

"Heeeelllllppppp!" Came a voice from down the hall. The ninja turned to see frightened Kagura running down the hall, bleeding from her forehead. When she reached the ninja, she collapsed to her knees. "Please help." She begged.

"What's wrong?" Kurunai asked worriedly as Sakura went over to Kagura to treat her wound.

"They took her!" She cried.

"Calm down. Who took who?" Kakashi asked, trying to calm the old lady down.

"They took her! They took Kimiko! She's gone!" The old lady cried.

Everyone's eyes widened, but Naruto narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists.

"Let's continue this in My room," Kakashi said, leading the way to his room.

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Once everyone had gathered in Kakashi and Kurunai's room, save for Kakashi who stood at the door, they quietly sat themselves down in a circle. The ninja continued to stare at Kagura as Sakura continued to treat her wounds.

"Where should I begin?" Kagura said to herself.

"How about from the beginning?" Kakashi stated.

Kagura nodded and cleared her throat. "Well, this village, dispite its name, used to be quite large. We would take care of travelers in search of shelter in our inn. We were quite happy. Our village leader, Toshio, was a strong and handsome man. He helped this village and all the villagers for countless years. He gave us strength to keep going, even during the years where no one came to the village. Toshio is my son."

"Wait, so that means that Kimiko is..." Naruto said.

"Yes, Kimiko is in fact the daughter of Toshio." She answered.

"Then why were those two kids calling her names and picking on her?" Kiba asked.

Kagura sighed. "I'll tell you why. About 2 years ago, these strange men came into town. They wanted to use this land's mining shaft to mine coal and what not. Toshio agreed, but it wasn't long before the men discovered something that made our homeland very important to them."

"Like what?" Sakura asked.

"Diamonds. Great, big diamonds of all shapes and sizes. We never knew what was under our feet. That no good bastard, Takeda Hideo, used a vast majority of his money to hire ninja and thugs to take this village over. My son tried to stop him, but he disappeared along with his wife. Since then, Kimiko has lived with me. However, not long after my son disappeared, Hideo and his men started a decree, which stated that every month, 5 children would be taken away. And if we ever wanted to see them again, we were to dig in the mines. Many caring parents gave into those demands, and have yet to see their children again."

"Th-that's aweful," Hinata said, imagining children being seperated from their loving parents.

"Indeed it is." Kagura responed, nodding her head.

"So, why has no one run away and told somebody yet?" Riyu asked.

"Hideo threatened to kill whoever even tried to leave the village. He's a greedy and bloodthirsty man. He won't stop until he's sucked this place dry. And, to answer your question Kiba, many villagers began to feel that my son and his wife abandoned our little village. They taught their kids that, and that was the result. I wish I could do something about this situation, but there's nothing I can do," Tears welled up in Kagura's eyes as she wept.

"Well, that might be true that you can't do anything to stop them," Naruto said standing up. "But that doesn't mean we can't take a crack at it."

Kagura looked up at Naruto, who wore a grin that she couldn't help but trust. "What do you mean?"

"He means," Riyu said standing up alongside his best friend with a smile of his own, "we're gonna help."

"But Naruto, what about the mission?" Kakashi questioned. "This might just suck up some valuable time."

"It'll be okay, Kakashi-sensei. Just think of it as a detour," Naruto said reassuringly.

Kakashi grinned beneathe his mask and nodded. "Then I guess there's nothing more I can say to change your mind." Naruto nodded.

Hinata smiled at Naruto with praise and love in her eyes. '_Naruto-kun._'

More tears began to fall from Kagura's eyes, but these were not tears of sorrow, but tears of joy. "Thank you so much."

"No problem. Don't worry, baa-san, we'll get Kimiko-chan back, save the rest of the villagers, and defeat this tycoon bastard. Just you wait and see," Naruto said, giving her his famous good guy thumbs up.

Looking around from his trustworthy face to the other ninja gathered around her, Kagura felt that she could believe this weird blond kid. She smiled to herself. '_Thank you._'

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And that it for that chapter. How did you all like it? Probably not my best work, but hey, at least I'm trying.

He'res what's going on. I'm leaving for Daytona Beach Shores, Florida on Thursday. So that means I'm gonna be gone for 8 days. I come back the day after the last Harry Potter book comes out. By then, I should have the next chapter written. And, to make my schedule more chaotic, I'm gonna be filming a short movie on Tuesday and Wednesday. Yeah, I'm kinda busy, but I'll never drop this story. I care about it too much.

And here's a quick trivia question just to see if you people actually read the author notes, and to see how far you are in the manga. Question: What has Kabuto done to his body? Answer me in the reviews.

Speaking of which:

**Soraku92:** Thanks for the greeting. I went out on the lake, got sunburned, and then went to a party. It was fun. I reviewed, it's pretty good by the way. I've wanted to use the Oodama Rasengan for a while, just never saw an appropriate time. And there might be some Kakashi/Kurunai.

**T.O.B:** I almost had a heart attack when I read this review. You are one of my loyal reviewers! I would be hurt to not see your review. Good thing you figured it out or you would have been in the obituaries by now. Lol Thanks for the review.

**Chigatana:** Thanks a lot. Don't worry, this story will go on for at least 40 chapters. Thanks for the review, and welcome to the story.

**TenTenRox1010:** I don't wanna talk about the movie… I like the sound of Riyuto-sensei. The stupid guy was based off of one of my friends. He's not that stupid, but he acts like it sometimes. A few chapters away, and Neji/Tenten moments begin. The longer the review, the better. Thanks for the review, my young padawan. (I'm a star wars fan, sue me)

**Almostinsane: **You're welcome. God bless you too, and thanks for the review.

**Dargon Sheinto:** Thanks. Welcome to the story, and thanks for the review.

**DanteHyuuga:** My asian doesn't make miniature Godzilas. He accidentally summoned the real one a few weeks ago and ran from that one. What is it with Asians and Godzilla? Please forgive me for the slow update. Thanks for the review, fellow Naru/Hina fan.

**Major Hinata Fan: **My trip was fun. I messed with a guy that was scared of heights while we went on a ride called Dropzone, which takes you up 370 feet up into the air then drops you. Thanks for the review.

**Weasel Debater: **Believe it or not, it is. It's in the dictionary. It means, "describes a stuck up person." Thanks for the review.

**Korhil Tohru:** I might have failed to mention this, but that attack combo of Naruto and Hinata's was only 1 of 4 ways they came up with. There are three more. Thanks for the review.

**Pyro-chan the dragon king:** Ok, Ok, I get it. I'm sorry. Let's just drop it.

**Ninja of fate:** Thanks a lot for the review.

**Boby09:** Thanks. I worked really hard on the fights. Thanks for the review.

**Adngo714: **… oops.

**Taintedlegacy: **Thanks for the review.

**Rasenganfin:** You'll see. My beta is currently working on a doujin for me, and he's gonna draw it.

**DragonMan180: **Thanks for the review.

Oh yeah, an interesting thing happened towards the end of my school year. There was this kid at my school that, in 8th grade, told me he was in the CIA. (He's crazy) Anyway, he was planning to attack the school, Columbine style. He had a hit list out, and I was on it. I was # 7, just because we wrote the same bus.

This chapter is unbetaed, just because I want to get this out, and my beta has been on the internet this summer 3 times total. When he gets it back to me, this message will not be here.

Remember, 5 reviews or no update.


	18. Ch 17 Toshio's Power

I am so sorry! I didn't mean for this chapter to take so long. Allot has happened to me. Some prick started lighting fires in the field behind my house, which has gas lines underneath it, and somebody that lives in my neighborhood wants to kick my ass because he believes I started rumors about him. He listened to this lying bitch that spreads rumors about people. My grandmother died, so I had to go to Ohio and go to her funeral. I was gone for a while, and I also just got my hands on Adobe After Effects. I've been trying to understand it so I can film a star wars movie. I know these aren't very good excuses (except for the grandmother part) but I hope you continue to bear with me. This won't happen again.

However, on a happier note, I'm excited to finally find out who the Akatsuki leader is.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I do own Riyu and Zulku. Life's not fair.

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**Chapter 17. Toshio's Power**

It was midnight. All was calm. No noise came from the small village. The full moon continued to illuminate the village, revealing a light mist lurking among the small homes and houses. The rain had subsided, leaving puddles littering the muddy ground.

Four figures emerged from the shadows of the inn. They crept quietly through the village, making as little noise as possible.

Suddenly, there was a slip, a thud, and a splash as one of the figures slipped in a puddle. Everyone else froze and stared at the blond ninja.

"For the love of God, Naruto!" Sakura raged in a hushed tone. "Do you want to get us caught?"

Naruto quickly regained his posture, standing up fully, and smiled apologetically at Sakura. "Sorry Sakura-chan. I wasn't watching where I was going," He apologized.

"A-are you o-okay, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked from behind Sakura.

Naruto looked at her and nodded. "Yeah," He said.

"In any case," Kakashi said from the front of the group, "I don't think they heard anything, because there haven't been any guards rushing out to investigate the strange noise. Let's press on."

The 3 genin nodded, and commenced the trek once again.

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Riyu sat in the hallway of the motel, outside of the room where Kenshito lay, unconscious. He tapped his fingers angrily on the wooden floor. Shino sat across from him on the opposite wall, and Kiba sat on the other side of the door, petting a sleeping Akamaru.

"I can't believe they didn't take me," Riyu mumbled angrily once again.

Kiba sighed. "Give it a rest, will ya'?" He asked, rolling his eyes.

Riyu shot Kiba narrow glare, but Kiba wasn't looking at him to catch it. Riyu reverted his eyes and went back to staring at the floor. "Why should I? They basically traded Hinata for me."

Shino decided to speak up. "Riyu, we all wanted to go, but not all of us could. If you took the time to think about it, they are the perfect team for the job."

Both Riyu and Kiba looked curiously at Shino. "What do ya' mean?" Kiba asked.

"Well, for starters, Kakashi-sensei has the Sharingan, as well as exceptional planning skills-"

"Yeah, except for this one," Riyu interrupted, mumbling to himself.

Shino glared at Riyu for a moment before continuing. "As I was saying, Sakura-san has intelligence and an incredible amount of strength, Hinata-san has the byakuugan and can alert them of any traps, and Naruto has incredible stamina, incredible amounts of chakra, and power. I'd day that's a pretty good combination for a team, wouldn't you?" Shino finished.

"Yeah, I guess your right," Kiba admitted as Riyu nodded. "But how can we be sure that Hinata-chan will be safe with them?"

"Because she is with Naruto," Shino answered.

Kiba's eyes narrowed. "And what is that supposed to mean?" He asked.

Shino's lips formed a thin smile. "I said that because they are growing closer with each passing day. She is already in love with him, and now he is beginning to fall for her. Haven't you noticed?" Shino asked.

Riyu nodded with a grin. Kiba, on the other hand, clenched his fists and glared at the wooden floor. _'Not if I have anything to say about it.'_

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After a few more minutes of treading lightly through the near deserted village, Kakashi's team finally made it to the outskirts of the village. From there, they traveled for another ten minutes before they reached a field of tall grass. Pausing before it, they spotted the entrance to the mine shaft on the other side of the field. They exchanged lookes, nodded, and backed up to the nearest tree.

Once there, they began talking.

"So what's the plan?" Sakura whispered softly.

" The plan is to infiltrate the mine, but not getting caught in the process," Kakashi explained. "First, Hinata-san will use her kekkai genkai to scout the area around us, and the mine's entrance. Once we are briefed on the enemies numbers, we will move to either engage or sneak past the enemy. So Hinata-san, if you would?" He asked.

Hinata nodded as she closed her eyes and began to focus her chakra. _'Please let this impress Naruto-kun,'_ Hinata mentally begged. When she opened her eyes, the Byakugan was revealed. She quickly set to work detecting the enemies.

After a few seconds, Naruto's impatience got the better of him. "Well?" He asked.

A thin blush crept across Hinata's cheeks. "Well, there's two men 30 yards ahead at the mine shaft's entrance. Probably the guards. Then there is another man inside. It looks like he's waiting for someone," Hinata explained.

And there it was again. The boldness in Hinata's voice that Naruto was becoming fond of. He still liked it when she stuttered, but he liked it even more when she was bold. "Great job, Hinata-chan," He complimented.

Hinata smiled as she deactivated her bloodline limit. Sakura's eyebrow twitched.

"Right then," Kakashi said. "Well, it appears that we will be engaging the enemy."

"How come?" Sakura asked.

"There are more of us than them. We can take them easily."

"Right," Naruto jested, holding up his fist and grinning. "Some good old-fashioned butt kicking! I'm in!"

"Slow down there Naruto. I think we should try..." He turned his head to look at Sakura, "A different approach."

Sakura's eyes ventured back and forth, from Hinata, to Kakashi, to Naruto, and back again. "What?"

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Inside the cave, at the mine entrance, two guards stood slumped against the wall, bored. Both wore white shirts with green military pants. The one on the left had buzzed hair and an earring in his left ear. The other one had a cigarette in his mouth and his lip pierced. The cave was not that big, but it had lights hanging from the ceiling. Kenshi was in the back, waiting for Kenshito, chewing tobacco.

"Hey Jirobo, you ever wonder why we're here?" The guard on the left asked.

"That's one of life's great mysteries, you know. Why are we here? Do we have a purpose? Or are we just some cosmic prank?" Jirobo said. The other guard, Sigodo, gave Jirobo a vacant stare. "What?" He asked.

"I meant why are we here guarding this freaking entrance, you dumb ass!" Sigodo said annoyed.

"Oh," Jirobo said.

Kenshi sighed."You're here to make sure nobody gets in or out of the shaft." He said.

"Yeah, but no one really comes back here," Sigodo said.

"Then what are you two idiots worrying about?" Kenshi asked angrily.

"Well-"

"Can someone help me?" Came a beautiful voice from the entrance of the cave. Kenshi, Jirobo, and Sigodo all took an offensive position, drawing out their guns, and staring at the entrance.

A gorgeous woman emerged from the darkness of the night. She had shining brown hair, a gorgeous body, big breasts, a tight blue dress that glittered, and a skinny figure. She looked almost like Koyuki Kazahana. "Can anyone help me?" Asked the gorgeous woman.

"Sure," Sigodo said as he took a step forward.

"No, let me handle this," Kenshi ordered. "You two have to keep the post." He approached the woman, grinning a smug smile. "What can I help you with, my lady?" He asked, bowing.

The woman giggled. "I've seemed to have lost my contacts outside. I can't see a thing with my contacts. Will you help me?" She asked, giving Kenshi a pouty, yet seductive, look.

Kenshi continued to grin. He turned to the guards. "You heard the pretty lady, go and look for her contacts," He ordered.

Sigodo and Jirobo put their guns back in their holsters as they walked outside the cave and began crawling on their hands and knees, trying to find the contacts.

Kenshi ran his hand down her long slender back. "So miss, what's pretty girl like you, doing out this late at night?" He asked.

They began walking, Kenshi leading her outside. She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Oh, it's just the beauty of the night that drives me crazy," She flirted.

As soon as they got outside, the lady sneezed loudly.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

"Oh yes, I'm," She said. Suddenly, Naruto and Kakashi leapt out of a pair of bushes, leaping at the guards and, before they knew what hit them, slammed their fists into their jaws, knocking them unconscious. Kenshi's eyes widened as he swore under his breath and drew his gun, pointing it at Kakashi. The woman spoke up. "As I was saying, I'm all right, but you're not."

Kenshi jerked his head to look at her, but when he saw her, her arm was already pulled back. He had no time to respond as she let her fist fly directly at his face. He flew several feet before colliding with a sickening thud against a tree.

Naruto ushered for Hinata to come out of the bushes. As she emerged, Naruto approached the woman and smiled. "That was really good, Sakura-chan," He said.

Sakura nodded as she dropped the jutsu, becoming Sakura once again. "You think so, because I think I hit him too hard."

"No way, that's one of the bastards that kidnapped Kimiko-chan. He deserved what he got." Naruto said.

Kakashi walked over to Kenshi's body and checked the pulse. "He's still alive, just unconscious. Naruto, help me tie up these three. Then we'll drag them into the cave." He said.

Naruto nodded. Once they had successfully tied Jirobo and Sigodo up together, and Kenshi by himself. Sakura helped Kakashi drag Jirobo and Sigodo, and Hinata helped Naruto, though he didn't really need any. He just didn't want to hurt Hinata's feelings.

Once the unconscious bodies were in the cave, Sakura turned to Kakashi. "Now what?" She asked.

Kakashi pointed to the end of the small cave. An elevator sat at the end, almost fully hidden in shadow. "We take that," He said.

As they walked to the elevator, Naruto began to laugh quietly to himself.

"W-what's so f-fun-ny, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.

Naruto smiled at her. "Well, in a way, Riyu got his wish."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sakura asked as they got into the elevator. It was surprisingly roomy.

"Riyu swore that, after the elevator ride in the motel, that he would never ride in one again." Naruto finished.

Now everyone else, including Kakashi, began laughing to themselves. Kakashi pressed down the lever on the side of the glass elevator, causing the front 2 doors to it to shut, plunging the elevator slowly to the mine shafts.

"Well, that is karma for you," Sakura commented as everyone continued to laugh quietly to themselves.

However, the laughing stopped abruptly. They knew that this was the time to be serious. Right now, they could see nothing out the other side of the elevator but rocks. Every once in a while they could see some light shining through, and as they got deeper they thought they could hear voices, but other than that, nothing.

Naruto sighed. "What do you guys think we're up against?" He asked.

Kakashi pondered for a few seconds. "Considering what these business types are like, I don't think that this Hideo and his men will be as much trouble as Gato was."

"I don't think so," Sakura chimed in. "Gato had a lot of men at his disposal. We don't even know how many this Hideo-teme has. For all we know, he could have hundreds."

"Yeah," Naruto said, "But remember, once Gato died, all of his men abandoned him. So if we can kill this bastard named Hideo, then all of his men will turn tail and run."

Hinata watched the conversation enthusiastically, wanting to chime in, but having nothing to say. Finally, she decided to speak up. "Umm...not to be r-rude or anything, but...Wh-who is this G-Gato?" She asked, clutching her left arm.

It was Naruto's instinct, though he didn't know why, that that meant she was nervous. "Gato was this really big business jerk who hired a sleazy hit man named Momochi Zabuza to kill this man we were guarding." He answered.

"Yes, I still remember that mission. I remember we thought we were getting a simple C-ranked mission," Kakashi said.

The elevator began picking up speed. "What d-did the mission t-turn into?" She asked.

"An A-rank mission," Sakura answered, "Complete with evil ninjas, fighting, and a tearful ending."

"Yeah, I remember too. Sasuke and I fought Haku, Kakashi-sensei fought Zabuza, and Sakura...she stood around and did nothing," Naruto added, thinking back to his first big mission.

Hinata couldn't help but giggle, Kakashi rolled his eyes and sighed, and Sakura looked angry. "Naruto, if we weren't in an elevator right now, you'd be as dead as Zabuza right now." She threatened, balling up a fist and pointing it at Naruto.

Naruto squinted his eyes and waved one hand in front of him while placing the other behind his head. "Riyu's the one that keeps saying that. He thought it would be funny to bring it up one day."

"He's dead when we get back to the village. Come Hell or high water, his ass is mine," Sakura promised herself. Naruto gulped for fear of his friend's life.

Before Naruto could respond, Hinata gasped and pointed out the glass window. The team turned and gasped as well. The rock wall had cleared, no longer blocking their view. They saw an enormous open area with walkways on the sides of the walls. There were many rock walkways leading all over the place. At the bottom of the elevator, they could see a building with a red roof. In front of that was an flat open area that led to 2 tunnels. One was about 300 feet away, but the other one was 100 feet to the right. Along the rock walkways, the ninja could see many people spread out among the cavern. There were old people and people as old as twenty years old. There were men and women, sick and healthy. Along side them were people wearing clothes similar to the outfits of Jirobo and Sigodo. One man stopped working to take a break, so the other man started beating him with a whip, yelling at him to keep working or else.

"That's awful," Sakura stated, "Even at this late hour, they still force the villagers to work."

"We have to do something about this," Naruto said through gritted teeth and clenched fists.

"I agree. Here's what we'll do," Kakashi said, "Some of the guards have probably noticed the elevator's running. They will probably think it's those other guys coming down. So we have that advantage. Sakura, as soon as the doors open, Naruto and I will take on the slave drivers. I want you and Hinata to hang back for a few seconds, and then go and start freeing the villagers. Lead them all back to the elevator." He finished.

The genin nodded. It didn't take long for the elevator to reach the bottom. And as Kakashi guessed, there were a few slave drivers waiting. Once the elevator hit the bottom, the man in the front spoke up. "Kenshi! Kenshito! That you guys?" He asked.

The glass window, which was actually a glass door, slid open to reveal Naruto and Kakashi, both standing with their arms folded against their chests. Sakura and Hinata huddled in the back corner.

"Sorry guys, but they're a little tied up at the moment," Kakashi stated. He saw the men quickly reach for their guns.

"So for right now, you're gonna have to deal with us," Naruto said smugly. Kakashi and Naruto slowly exited the elevator. Most of the villagers and slave drivers stopped what they were doing to see what was going on.

"Open fire!" The front man yelled. All 9 men obeyed, firing rounds at the 2 ninja. However, the speed of the bullets was no mach for the speed of the ninja. Kakashi and Naruto leapt up into the air, swiftly dodging the bullets. However, the bullets did shoot into the elevator, denting the elevator's entrance and causing Hinata and Sakura to flinch.

Naruto and Kakashi landed behind the men, who whipped around and tried to quickly reload their guns. The ninja exchanged looks and nodded. "Catch us if you can, losers!" Naruto yelled as he and Kakashi took off to the right side. They guards quickly began chasing them, firing random rounds at the two ninja.

Once the crowd of gunmen were finally away from the elevator, Sakura and Hinata poked their heads out. Once they were sure they were safe, they exited the elevator and stealth fully began to make their way to the villagers.

"Th-that was cl-close," Hinata said as they slunk up a small hill to the first villager.

"Yeah. But if they try to pull this shit again, I quit," Sakura whispered back, harshly.

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It was about 1 in the morning. Riyu was getting tired. He was never one for staying up late. He prefered to get lost in his dreams. Now, he was just trying to stay awake. Shino and Kiba had retired about 20 mintues ago, taking Naruto's and Riyu's room for a brief rest. Kurunai was still with Kagura, comforting her in whatever way she could. Riyu looked down the hall in both directions. Nothing. Nothing was there. It was boring, and all Riyu could think about was getting to sleep.

And, on top of that, Riyu had to use the bathroom. He was given direct orders to not leave the door unattended. If he wanted to tell Shino he had to go, then that would be leaving the door, and he would get yelled at. However..._'If I leave the door for as little as 5 minutes, get my business done, and get back, no one would even know.'_ He thought.

Happy with his plan, Riyu took another look down the hall, spotted the sign that said bathroom, and quickly dashed down the hall and slammed the door.

Meanwhile, at the door Riyu was supposed to be guarding, the door creaked open.

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(A/N) Should I end it there?... Nah, I made you all suffer too much. I'll keep going until we're out of this little arc. Enjoy.

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Kakashi and Naruto had soundly defeated their enemies, and were piling their bodies into a pile of bodies. Sakura and Hinata were all almost done freeing the villagers. They too had fought a few men, but they defeated them easily as well. When all the men were accounted for, Naruto and Kakashi went about helping the girls free the villagers from their shackals. Many thanked ninja, praising them for what they were doing. Once they were all free, Kakashi ordered them all down to the elevator entrance.

They obeyed. Once everyone was down there, Kakashi noticed something. "Where are the children?" He asked.

One woman, her hair a brilliant color of brunette with black smodges and a few cuts on her face, approached Kakashi. "They are in that cave over there. At the very end of it is a small building where our children are being held." She said, pointing at the cave on the right side.

Kakashi nodded. He looked over to Naruto and the girls, who were being congradulated. "You three stay here, I'll be right back with the children."

The three genin nodded and continued to talk with the villagers while Kakashi slipped away from the crowd and made his way to the tunnel on the right.

"It doesn't seem real," An old man with a hunch said, staring at Naruto.

"What?" He asked.

"We're actually saved. We're finally free from this terrible nightmare!" He cheered. The rest of the villagers began to cheer as well. Sakura, Naruto, and Hinata took a few steps back to talk with each other.

"That was a fairly easy mission," Sakura commented.

"B-but what about Hideo?" Hinata asked, "D-don't we still have to deal with him as well?"

"Yeah, that's right. I forgot about him for a minute," Naruto said, looking around. "Where do you think he could be?"

Sakura pointed at the opposite cave Kakashi had went into. "He's probably somewhere deep within that cave."

"Then that's where we'll go once we bring the villagers back to the village." Naruto said.

About 15 minutes later, Kakashi emerged from the tunnel, carrying 2 small girls, and allot more children surrounding him. In one of his arms sat Kimiko, fresh tears still on her face.

Naruto spotted her and began to wave at her. "Kimiko-chan!" He called.

"Naruto!" Kimiko cried, waving back at Naruto.

The woman that had spoken with Kakashi earlier froze. Her body began trembling as she stared at Kimiko. "K-K-Kimi-Kimi-chan?" She asked loudly.

Kimiko stared at the woman who had called her name. Suddenly, a radiant smile formed across her face as she leapt out of Kakashi's arms crying "Momma! Momma!"

Her mother ran to her as well, and as they got closer, Kimiko jumped into her mother's arms. Similar things were happening all over the room; Parents being reunited with their children.

"I missed you mamma," Kimiko cried into her mothers dirty shirt. Her mother, Yukie, hugged her daughter tightly and covered her face with kisses.

"I missed you too, Kimi-chan," She said back to her daughter.

Kakashi rejoined his comrades and watched the scene unfold. The girls even began to cry. Naruto looked over at them. "Why are you two crying?" He asked cluelessly.

"Because this is such a beautiful moment," Sakura answered tearfully.

After a few minutes, Kimiko looked around, and her smile faded briefly. "Momma, where's Pappa?" She asked.

Her mother's face went from happy to sad. She closed her eyes for a few seconds before opening them again. "Kimi-chan, your father is still being held captive by Hideo."

The Konoha ninja heard this and approached Yukie. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't help overhearing. Did you say that the village leader is still being held captive?" Kakashi asked Yukie.

She nodded, adjusting Kimiko's position in her arms. "Yes, that's right. I haven't seen him for a year, but I hear his cries of pain echoing through the cavern all the time. It kills me every time."

"I see, so where is he?" He asked.

Yukie turned and pointed at the larger cave. "He is held down there at the very end of the cave. At the end of the cave is a building, and once you get in there, you forget that your in a cave and start thinking your in a mansion." She said.

"How can you hear him scream out in pain if he's way down there?" Naruto asked.

Yukie used her free hand to point at the ceiling. "They broadcast it over these intercoms."

"That's horrible," Sakura said.

Kakashi turned to Sakura. "Sakura, do you think that you and Hinata-san can escort the villagers up the elevator?" He asked.

Sakura gave her sensei a confused look. "Sure, but what will you and Naruto do?" She asked.

"Isn't it obvious? We're gonna go give this Hideo an ass kicking," Naruto answered loudly, causing many villagers to stop and stare at the source of the loud noise.

Yukie adopted a concerned look. "You mustn't." She begged.

"Don't worry lady, we've dealt with his type before," Naruto reassured.

"No, you don't understand. Hideo is not just wealthy, he is extremely powerful. We villagers believe that he came from one of the five great villages. He possesses power that we do not." Yukie said.

The ninja seemed to consider this for a moment, before Naruto spoke up again. "Then it'll be two ninjas against one. Piece of cake."

"Don't get too cocky Naruto. Now that we somewhat know what we're up against, we should be more careful from here on out." Kakashi advised.

"Fine," Naruto admitted.

Sakura took a look around and, finding a good standing spot on higher ground, she jump up to it and turned to the crowd. "Okay people," She yelled, trying to get their attention. It worked. The crowed fell silent. "We are going to get you out of here," Many villagers cheered. "But in order to do that, you are going to have to do exactly as I say. Please get into a single file line and wait outside the elevator. We will take up 10 people at a time!" Sakura ordered. The villagers began to whisper to each other, as if they weren't sure if they should listen to this strange pink-haired foreigner. Sakura sighed. "Do it or else you don't get out of here, and I just leave you all here and get out with my friends, and you all get to continue mining for the rest of your lives."

That was enough for the villagers. They immediately ran to form a somewhat straight line.

Kimiko just continued to stare at Sakura. She clutched her mother's shirt. "She scares me sometimes," She stated.

Hinata nodded. "M-me too."

Naruto tilted his head. "Did you see that vein pop in the middle of her forehead? That sucker was huge," He stated. Everyone, Kakashi included, nodded.

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Riyu, Kiba, Kurunai, and Shino leapt from roof top to roof top, searching for Kenshito. They were split up into 2 teams. Kurunai and Shino went one way, and Kiba and Riyu another. Kiba and Riyu were in an arguement.

"How the hell do you lose a guy we knocked unconscious three times?!" He demanded while Akamaru ran beside him. The dog was still weak, but he had enough energy for this.

"Well then you didn't do a very good job with the knocking him out part!" Riyu snapped back.

"Well sorry! I thought that a _ninja_ like you could watch a wooden door. Let alone guard the room!" Kiba retorted.

"Well maybe if some people would actually help me do my job, this wouldn't have happened!" Riyu yelled as they jumped off of a building and onto the muddy ground. They continued sprinting.

"You know Shino and I needed the rest!"

"So did I! But did you see me complaining?"

"Yes! Several times! And at one point I thought you were crying!"

Riyu choked on air. "I...That just shows you how awesome of an actor I am!"

"Yeah right! You know what Riyu?"

"What?"

"You suck as a body guard!"

"Well, let's just hope that I never get a body guarding mission, then!"

"Yeah, because you'd get the person killed!"

Suddenly, Akamaru stopped. Kiba and Riyu stopped as well. Akamaru sniffed the air and barked rapidly.

"You found his scent?" Kiba asked. Akamaru barked again. Kiba grinned. "Great, lead the way Akamaru!"

Akamaru barked again and leaped off of the ground and onto a roof.

"Just one more thing!" Riyu called from behind Kiba as they followed the dog.

"What is it?" Kiba asked, anticipating another arguement.

"I'm gonna rename the village!" He called randomly.

Kiba looked back at him and gave him an expression that said "your an idiot". "Change it to what?" He asked.

"Instead of the name meaning small village, it's gonna mean annoying ass village with no plumbing!"

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Sakura stood at the front of the line, looking up at the elevator shaft. "That's weird," She stated.

Hinata stood next to her, while Naruto and Kakashi stood a little ways away from the back of the line, discussing the mission so far. "Wh-what's weird?" Hinata asked.

"We never sent the elevator back up, so why is it coming down?" She asked.

However, before Hinata had a chance to respond, the elevator picked up speed and came crashing down to the canyon floor. Dust came soaring up off the ground, getting into everyone's throats and eyes, forcing the villagers and kunoichi to shield their eyes. Kakashi and Naruto stopped in mid-conversation to see what was happening.

Suddenly, the elevator doors slid open. Kenshito and Kenshi stepped out with evil smirks on their faces. Kenshi held a small device with a red button at the top of it in his hands. "Hello, hello!" Kenshito greeted. "Did you all think you could get rid of us that easily?"

Naruto and Kakashi began to run at the men, but they had other plans. "Unless you want these innocent people to die, I suggest you two don't move." Kenshi demanded, pointing at Kakashi and Naruto. They froze on the spot, not wanting to risk the villagers safety.

"Yeah, one more step, and Kenshi here blows up this entire mine." Kenshito taunted.

"With what?" Naruto demanded.

The villagers were beginning to panic now. Only a select few remained calm, trying not to scramble for safety, while others were terrified to death of being killed. Half of those people were too terrified to move, while others acted like they could not help it.

Kenshi snuffed. "With this little device. It's called a detonator, which is electronically linked to several sticks of dynamite in this shaft. Any sly movements from you two, and this whole place goes up."

"But wouldn't you two be killed as well?" Kakashi asked.

"Nah," Kenshito said. "We know where the safe spots are."

Hinata and Sakura exchanged looks and nodded. Kenshi and Kenshito weren't even paying attention to them. They probably didn't think that the girls were much of a threat. Hinata whispered "Byakugan" to herself, quietly activating her bloodline trait. She scanned the ceiling and walls around them. She counted 4 explosives: 2 in the ceiling above them, in between the villagers and Naruto, and two in the walls. Then Hinata set to work pinpointing the exact spot all the rock would collapse onto. After a few seconds, she figured it out. Hinata leaned over to Sakura and mouthed a few words to her as Kenshi kept rambling about killing anyone fool enough to be brave.

Using her skills, Hinata crept up upon Kenshi silently and, against Naruto's look of horror and shock at what Hinata was doing, Hinata delivered a well directed Jyuuken directly into his back. Knocking him once again unconscious. The detonator flying from his hands and onto the ground. And not a split second after that Sakura slammed her fist into Kenshito's back, Sending him to the ground. Just as Hinata had predicted, Kenshito's body fell onto the detonator, triggering the bombs.

"Everybody get as close as you can to the wall!" Sakura yelled. Just as Naruto and Kakashi began to run to them, the bombs went off. Loud explosive noises echoed through the cavern as enormous piles of rock came crashing down onto the ground, crushing the men. All the villagers remained okay as the rocks stopped coming down like rain. But there was one problem. Kakashi and Naruto were separated from everybody else. There were no gaps for them to slip through.

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As Kiba and Riyu followed Akamaru, they heard a loud rumble. They stopped and looked around.

"Where did that come from?" Riyu asked.

"It came from over there." Kiba said, pointing at the mining entrance.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Riyu asked as they sped off in the direction of the cave.

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A giant wall of boulders separated the team. There was no way of getting to one another. It was now up to the girls to get the panicking villagers up the elevator.

"Sakura-chan! Hinata-chan!" Naruto called from the other side of the enormous rock wall. "Are you two okay?"

Sakura and Hinata pushed their way through the villagers (Hinata being polite and saying "Excuse me," of course) and made it to the wall. "Naruto-kun!" Hinata called.

"I'm okay. What about you?" He asked with a concerned voice.

"I-I'm f-fine," She called back.

"Yeah, yeah, we're both okay," Sakura said angrily. "But what the hell are we gonna do now? We can't get to you, and you can't get to us."

"You should go ahead without us," Kakashi advised. "No use waiting for us, Naruto and I have unfinished business. You two should help the villagers evacuate the cavern. We'll be okay."

"But how will you get out?" Sakura asked with concern.

"Don't worry, we'll find a way. We always do," Naruto reassured.

Hinata gulped. "N-Naruto-kun," She stuttered.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Umm...T-th-there's s-something I... I want to tell you, in c-case we don't g-g-get to see each other... for a wh-while," Hinata said.

Naruto pressed his ear to the rock wall. Sakura's heart began to pound, as she knew what she wanted to say. "Okay, what is it?" He asked.

This was it. Hinata was going to confess to Naruto while she had the chance. She gulped as sweat and a beet red blush appeared on her face. "Well, I...I... Naruto-kun, I really lo-"

She was cut off by a loud bang. The kind of bang that came from a gun. Hinata, Sakura, and the villagers spun around to see Kenshito, bloodied but alive, standing right in front of the girls, pointing 2 guns at them individually.

"You what?! Hinata-chan, you what!?" Naruto yelled from the other side, his heart pounding with worry.

"I'm sorry kid, but she's never gonna get to tell you," Kenshito said as he cocked his guns, preparing to fire. He glared at Sakura and Hinata. "You killed my partner. Kenshi is dead, and it's all because of you. Get over here," He said, leading the girls to an open side of the caved in cavern. "If any of you morons get any ideas of being brave, I kill these pretty little girls."

"What! No! If you lay a finger on them, I'll kill you!" Naruto threatened. He had never felt this helpless in his life.

Kenshito pointed his gun further towards Hinata. "I was just kidding boy, I'm gonna kill them anyway. And I'm gonna start with the blue haired girl."

Rage erupted from Naruto like lava out of a volcano. He slammed his fist against the rock wall, crumbling some of it. "Don't you dare touch a hair on her head, or else I swear to God I will kill you slowly and painfully," He threatened.

"Aww, is this your little girlfriend? Good. So listen closely to her final breathes." Hinata lost all feeling in her body. She had never been this close to death before. Her body began to tremble. "Ready..." He said. "Aim..."

Suddenly, an enormous boulder came falling out of the air, crushing and killing Kenshito instantly. He never knew what hit him. Everyone looked up to see what had happened.

Riyu stood upside down off of the ceiling, his arms folded across his chest, grinning. "Fire," He said as he released his grip on the ceiling. He flipped in the air and landed on the boulder that killed Kenshito. He bowed to the villagers. "Uzuka Riyu, at your service."

"Riyu!" Kimiko, Hinata, Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi all yelled at the same time.

Riyu smiled at Kimiko before lowering himself off of the rock and walking over to the wall and looking it over. "Wow, that's one big cave in."

"Riyu?" Naruto called again.

"Naruto?" Riyu asked, trying to see his friend in the crowd of people. "Where are you?" He asked.

"I'm on the other side of the wall," Naruto called.

"How did that happen?" Riyu asked.

"It's a long story. Sakura will tell you later," Naruto answered.

Sakura walked over to Riyu and tapped his shoulder. "Thanks Riyu. If it wasn't for you, Hinata and I would be dead now."

"No problem," Riyu said. However, he was thinking, _'You owe me bigtime!,'_ But he didn't want to seem like a jerk in front of all those people.

Hinata looked around before turning back to Riyu. "Wh-where are the o-others?" She asked.

Riyu turned to her. "Kiba went back to find Kurunai-sensei and Shino to help us in case you guys needed it. I was supposed to wait up in the entrance, but I heard Naruto screaming so I decided to come and investigate. Good thing I did too, because if I hadn't then-"

"We get it Riyu, we're grateful. Now help us get these people up the elevator," Sakura interrupted, afraid Riyu would go into monologue mode.

"What about Naruto and...Where's Kakashi-sensei?" He asked.

"I'm over here too," Kakashi said.

"Oh, but what about Naruto and Kakashi-sensei?" He asked.

"They're going to meet up with us later. They're going to go deal with that Hideo guy and free the village leader." Sakura informed.

Riyu nodded. "Okay, sounds cool. Give him one for me!"

"Will do," Kakashi answered.

"Cool." Riyu walked over into the elevator, turned around and ushered some of the villagers into the elevator. "Please watch your step. Thank you." He pressed the lever up, and the elevator began to ascend slowly. "Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy the ride. Next stop, the village. Complete with a comfy inn, homes, bakeries, and everything you can image, except for indoor plumbing." All the little kids, and some of the older villagers, laughed. One girl Riyu's age even gave him a kiss on the cheek as the elevator disappeared from sight.

Hinata looked at Sakura. "What, he does that all the time," Sakura said.

"We're going to go now," Kakashi said.

"Okay, we'll be fine. Go ahead and go," Sakura yelled.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto called.

"Y-yes," She answered back.

"What were you gonna tell me earlier?" He asked.

"I...well..." Hinata's heart began to pound faster and faster with each second that passed by. She gulped. She couldn't do it now. The magic was gone. The butterflies were once again renting out her belly.

Sakura felt sorry for Hinata, but on the other hand she didn't want Hinata to tell Naruto her feelings. "She'll tell you later. Now hurry up and move. In case you've forgotten, we still have to make back to the village in 2 months. Now move!" Sakura demanded, winking at Hinata.

"Okay," Naruto said. He turned to Kakashi. "Let's get going, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said.

"Okay, but we have to act rationally, or else we'll end up underestimating the enemy. Understand?" Kakashi asked as they began walking towards the cave.

Naruto stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, yeah. It means don't rush into the room and try to take down the opponent alone."

Kakashi chuckled. "So you did learn your lesson from the last time," He said.

"That's not fair. That guy looked really weak. He looked so weak at the time, I thought Konohamaru could have taken him. Hell, I thought Pakkun could have taken him!" Naruto said. He continued to ramble on as they entered the cave and continued down the path.

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After a straight fifteen minute walk, Kakashi and Naruto began to notice something. Up ahead of them, the path stopped being a cave and started being a hallway. As they got closer, they noticed red carpet running down the middle with blue on the sides. Torches sat on the walls every 10 feet, illuminating the way for the ninja.

As they entered the hallway, an eerie feeling crept over the Konoha ninja.

"Do you feel it Naruto?" Kakashi asked his student.

Naruto nodded. "I sense an insane amount of chakra up ahead. Could it be the village leader?" He asked.

"It could be. Or it could be Hideo's," Kakashi answered.

Naruto turned to his sensei. "But I thought that this Hideo-teme was some sort of business man. Why would he be giving off this amount of chakra?" The blond asked.

"I'm not sure Naruto. We'll just have to wait and see."

Naruto sighed as they pressed forward. They continued in silence. The only sounds in the hall were those of the crackling fires and the steps the ninja took.

Eventually, the hall became a staircase that lead straight up. Naruto turned to Kakashi, who nodded. Kakashi was first to go up the stairs, much to Naruto's dismay. Naruto followed. They climbed up and, to Naruto, it seemed to take forever. It seemed as if the stairs spiraled up to nowhere.

However, Naruto was proven wrong when Kakashi stopped. Naruto almost fell into him.

"Kakashi-sensei, why did you stop?" Asked the blond ninja.

"Because there is a door in our way," Kakashi answered. Naruto leaned over to see past Kakashi, and saw the door. Kakashi attempted to turn the handle, but the knob would not budge. "It's locked."

Naruto grinned. "Then just leave it to me. I'll pound that door into the next decade," He boasted, trying to push himself past Kakashi. However, Kakashi refused to let him pass.

"Not so fast, Naruto. We don't know what types of alarms could go off. There could be dozens of guards on the other side of this door. Do you want to let them know we're here?" Kakashi asked.

"Well, they'd be pretty stupid to know we're not here. I mean, we freakin took down about 34 guards, and I know their screams of pain echoes through the cavern. Then there was that giant explosion. I mean, you would have to be a complete tone-deaf monkey to not hear that damn explosion-"

"The door's open," Kakashi stated.

Naruto kept rambling on. "And then there were those kids, screaming out loud for their..." He stopped and stared at Kakashi. "What did you say?"

Kakashi grinned. "I said the door is opened. I picked the lock while you were rambling. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to keep going." Kakashi turned from Naruto and walked through the door.

Naruto stood still, watching Kakashi leave. He rolled his eyes and mocked Kakashi behind his back. "I already got the door unlocked while you were busy rambling. I'm Kakashi, I have the Sharingan even though I'm not an Uchiha, and I'm a huge pervert who has never had a girlfriend-"

"You know I can hear you." Kakashi said, leaning against the open door, staring at Naruto.

Naruto jumped into the air in surprise. "Kakashi-sensei! What I...I mean...I didn't...It's not what it," Naruto rambled.

"Just forget about it. We have a job to do, remember?" Kakashi said, surprisingly calm.

Naruto stared at his sensei before nodding and following him down the new hallway. _'Why was Kakashi-sensei so calm? Is he worried about something?'_

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Riyu brought the elevator back down, this time bringing Kurunai with him. Shino and Kiba were up with the other villagers, escorting them back to their homes. The elevator came to a halt, and the ninja stepped out to greet the last load of passengers, including Hinata and Sakura.

"So is this everyone else?" Kurunai asked the girls.

Hinata and Sakura nodded, turning to the last 10 villagers: 4 men, 4 women, and 2 children. Sakura wiped her brow with her wrist. "Thank goodness this is almost over. I'm beat."

"A-any news about Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked instantaneously.

Riyu shook his head. "No, sorry Hinata. No one's heard anything about them since they left." Riyu saw Hinata lower her eyes in sorrow. "But don't worry, knowing Naruto, he's all right. He always manages to get out of the stickiest situations." He said, trying to reassure the Hyuuga heiress.

A smile formed upon Hinata's lips. "I kn-know, in my heart, th-that Naruto-kun will come b-back. Thank you, Riyu-san," She said. Sakura just rolled her eyes.

Riyu nodded. "No problem."

"Let's get going," Kurunai said. "The sooner we get these last villagers up, the sooner we can meet with Kakashi-san and Naruto."

The group nodded. Everyone piled into the cramp elevator, and it rose off of the ground, taking the remaining villagers to safety.

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Kakashi and Naruto reached the end of the hall, and came up to a double-door. This one, however, was as tall and wide as the room. It had massive wooden boar-faced knockers hanging off each door. Kakashi leaned his ear against the door.

"What do you hear?" Naruto whispered.

Kakashi waited a moment. "Nothing." He answered. He took his head off of the door and turned it to Naruto. "This is it Naruto. No turning back. If we open this door, I can't guarantee we'll come out alive. Do you still want to proceed?"

"Are you kidding me?" Naruto asked. "Out of all the time we've known each other, when have I ever backed away from a challenge?" He asked, raising his fist to prove the point.

"Okay then, let's open this door," Kakashi said. Naruto nodded. Kakashi took the left door, while Naruto took the right. "Ready? One...two...three...push!" He ordered. He and Naruto put all of their strength into it, pushing on the enormous door. Slowly, the door began to open. Finally, the door opened far enough for Naruto and Kakashi to slip through.

As the ninja slid through, they noticed a change in the temperature. It was much cooler than in the mines and hallways. Kakashi looked around at the room, which was lit by overhead lights. He saw bookcases lined along the walls, filled with books. He saw large rare windows on the walls. That told him one thing; They were not in the mineshaft anymore.

They were above ground. Somewhere far away from the village. There was a chandelier hanging from the ceiling over the center of the room. Underneath was a large wooden desk with papers stacked upon it. In the back were two doors. On the left side of the room was a large cage built into the wall. Kakashi walked over to it.

Naruto approached one of the bookshelves and pulled out a couple of books. He read the titles. "_Business Schemes for Dimwits? How To Rule an Empire? The 5 Great Nations? The Notebook: A Novelization?_' Who the hell is this guy?"

"Naruto, come over here," Kakashi ordered from the cave. Naruto obeyed and went to his sensei.

"What is it, Sensei?" Naruto asked.

"Look into the cage, Naruto."

Naruto obeyed once again. Inside he saw the figure of a man. He stood with a slouched posture. His shirt torn to shreds, as was his pants. He had extremely long hair, accompanied by a bushy moustache and a bushy beard. His figure was unhealthy. It appeared he hadn't eaten in days.

The strange man looked down at Naruto. "Hello, my name is Toshio. I was once the leader of the village. You must be Naruto. Nice to meet you," Toshio said, extending his hand out of the cage to meet Naruto's. Naruto took his hand and shook it.

"Nice to meet you." Naruto said. He looked Toshio over a few times. "I don't mean to be rude, but what happened to you?" He asked.

Toshio lowered his gaze, as if too ashamed to look Naruto in the eyes. "As you are aware of, our village has been devastated. 2 years ago, I came to confront Hideo. I tried to handle this diplomatically, as a leader should do. But he tricked me. He asked me if I wanted a cigar, and I accepted. After I had used the cigar, he challenged me to a fight. He won, knocking me unconscious. The next time I woke up, he told me that he put special drugs into the cigar and that, during the time I was unconscious, he used a machine to extract most of my chakra."

"Why only most of it?" Naruto asked.

"Because he told me that he wanted me alive to suffer. Apparently, he got his thrill from beating me like a human rag doll. It's been a long two years." He finished, lowering his head.

"Where did he store this chakra at?" Kakashi asked.

"There is a bottle somewhere in his drawer. But, in order to get into the drawer, you need a key. And I have no idea where the key is." Toshio said.

"Why don't we just bust the drawer and get the bottle?" Naruto asked.

"The drawer is indestructible. I've seen people try. There's some sort of barrier around it. I don't know what it is about the key, but it can penetrate the barrier."

"So where can we find the key?" Naruto asked.

Toshio shook his head. "I'm afraid I do not know. He's hidden it with great expertise." He said.

Suddenly, there was a door slam shut. All three men turned to see the cause of the noise. A tall man with black robes and a white undershirt stood in the room. He had black eyes, from what Naruto could tell, with a thin moustache complete with sideburns.

"**Be weary of him," **Kyuubi advised.

'_Why?'_ Naruto asked.

"**I can sense his aura. It's pure evil. He's no pushover like that other guy. He's a monster."** It said.

"Hello there, gentlemen. Care to take a seat?" Hideo asked, pointing to a couple of chairs at his desk. He walked over to it and grabbed a few cigars out of a box. "Care for a few cigars'?"

"No thanks, I prefer to stand," Kakashi said.

"And no for me too, I'm underage," Naruto said coldly.

Hideo chuckled. "One is never too young to start. They do smell delicious," He said, smelling the cigars to emphasize his point.

"I already told you, damn it, I don't want one." Naruto snapped.

Hideo glared at Naruto. "Very well. What can I do for you gentlemen?" He asked.

"We're here to inform you that your entire scam is over, dick face," Naruto said.

Kakashi, during the entire conversation, continued to stare at Hideo. He was convinced he had seen this man before. But where?

"Really?" Hideo asked, as if he had known about it the entire time.

"Yeah, really."

"Very well. Is that all?" He asked.

Naruto blinked a few times. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Don't get me wrong, I am very upset about this, especially since I was making so much money. But, things have changed, and I feel that I am very fortunate to run into you, Uzumaki Naruto."

All air escaped Naruto's lungs briefly before filling back up. "How do you know my name?" He asked.

"How could one forget the famous Nine-Tailed Fox container (I can't spell the other word, and I'm too lazy to look it up, so deal with it!). Itachi-sama will be pleased."

"What? Itachi? Uchiha Itachi?" Naruto asked.

"The very same," Hideo said with a grin.

"How the hell are you associated with that bastard?" Naruto asked, remembering the time he broke Sasuke's arm, and what Sasuke had told him about his brother.

"I am one of his subordinates. I answer to him. Just now, while I was in the other room, I was alerting him of your arrival. He sounded pleased."

Suddenly, it hit Kakashi. He knew who this man was. "I remember you now. You're Hoinda Hideo, former Jonin of the Village Hidden in the Rock. You killed a senator from your village and fled. You're in the bingo book as a class S criminal."

Hideo looked over at Kakashi. "And you're Hatake Kakashi. Former ANBU leader. Now Jonin. Glad we could get that out of the way. Anyway, Itachi-sama wanted me to keep you here for the time being. So," Hideo slid out of his robe to reveal his battle ready attire. He slid on his headband, which had a gash in it going through the village symbol.

"So I guess this little detour isn't a complete waste of time," Naruto said, dropping into his fighting stance.

"I guess not," Kakashi responded, he too dropping into his stance.

"Bring it," Hideo taunted.

There was a pause. No one dare to move.

"Okay Naruto, we'll take him together," Kakashi ordered.

Naruto shook his head. "I'll take him now!" Naruto said, jumping at Hideo, leaping off of a chair.

"No, Naruto!" Kakashi yelled, but it was too late.

Hideo uppercuted Naruto in the chin, sending him up into the air. His body halted, and then rushing down to the floor. Hideo caught his body in mid-air with his fist, slamming Naruto to the side. Kakashi leapt into the action, pulling out several kunai and tossing them at Hideo.

Naruto's shadow clone disappeared moments after Hideo struck it. The real Naruto descended down from the ceiling with a rasengan in hand. Naruto gave his battle cry, causing Hideo to look up just in time. Hideo evaded the kunai, caught Naruto by the wrist, and threw him at Kakashi. Kakashi was forced to leap out of the way as Naruto shot passed him, slamming into the wall.

"Naruto!" Kakashi yelled. He turned back to Hideo.

"Come on Kakashi, dazzle me," Hideo taunted.

Kakashi raised his headband, revealing the Sharingan. "Okay, but you asked for it."

Kakashi performed handseals as quick as a flash, then shouted. "Earth Style: Rock Fist Jutsu!! (again, I do not feel like translating. I'm freaking english! Enough said. Back to the story!). Kakashi slammed his right fist into the wall. When he withdrew it, his entire fist was covered with earth.

Naruto shook off his miss and leapt to his feet. He made a shadow clone and formed a Rasengan. The clone disappeared and he took his place next to his teacher.

"Okay Naruto, on three...Three!" They leapt at Hideo. Hideo, deciding that Kakashi was more important, decided to fight him first. He performed the hand seal. "Earth style: Earth wall jutsu!" An enormous rock wall shot up out of the floor, shielding Hideo from Naruto. However, Kakashi could get through. Kakashi launched his fist at Hideo's face, catching it and sending him flying back.

Hideo knew which attack would have killed him, so he chose to block it. Naruto's Rasengan slammed against the rock wall, at first doing nothing, then destroying the wall easily. However, the Rasengan disappeared. Hideo slammed against the wall. He got himself up and, wiping the blood from his face, saw Kakashi and Naruto running at him again. He thought quickly.

Hideo vanished, reappearing next to Naruto. Before Naruto could catch where he was, Hideo delivered a powerful kick to his face, knocking the loudmouth ninja unconscious and sending him sailing into a bookshelf. The said shelf collapsed upon Naruto, burying him in a sea of books. (which we all know would be Naruto's second worse nightmare)

Kakashi watched as Naruto hit the shelf. Then he turned his attention back to Hideo. '_I see. This man is like Guy. He uses Taijutsu most of the time. I have to watch out for his physical attacks if I want to make it out of here alive and not in a body bag,'_ He thought.

Hideo vanished once again, but Kakashi read his movements with his Sharingan. He anticipated Hideo's moves. He swung his leg at Kakashi's head. Kakashi ducked just in time to spare his head flying off his body.

Kakashi breathed heavily. This was going to be a long fight.

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"It's 5 in the morning! All I want to do is visualize the inside of my eyelids, not some stupid happy thoughts!" Riyu yelled grumpily at Sakura, who stifled a yawn.

I know, but we're not allowed to sleep until Kakashi-sensei and Naruto get back. Kurunai-sensei's orders," She said as they stood on the side of the road. Riyu watched as Kurunai and Hinata stood, waiting patiently for the other's to make it back.

"It can't be helped," Shino added from next to Riyu.

"Yeah, orders are orders," Kiba commented.

Riyu sighed. "Yeah, but here's a new bet," Everyone groaned. "Come on, here me out! 300 yen says that Naruto doesn't make it out alive."

Sakura glared at Riyu. "Why would you say that?" She asked.

"Because, if his ass doesn't get here within four hours, I'm gonna go find him, kill him, and go to sleep."

Kiba was the only one to laugh at the joke. The others turned to look at him. "What? It's not like you all weren't thinking it!"

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Kakashi and Hideo continued to fight. Kakashi dodging the attacks, and Hideo attempting to hit Kakashi. The entire room looked like a battlefield. The desk was smashed to pieces but, of course, the one drawer containing Toshio's chakra remained in tact.

Naruto slowly became conscious. His eyes opened. His vision started out fuzzy, but it got better. He pushed himself up to sit on his bottom. He rubbed the back of his head as he noticed books beginning to fall off of him. Suddenly, he spotted something as he was looking down. There was a small golden thing sticking out of a book. Naruto picked the book up, turned to the page the object was sticking out of, and grinned. It was the key. He had found the key. He took the key out and flipped to the front of the book. It was "_The Notebook_." Naruto squinted.

"Are you freaking kidding me? The answer to the problem is in _this_ book?" He asked himself. He looked over to the destroyed desk, to Kakashi evading another attack from Hideo, to the key, to the cage, and then back to the drawer. He grinned to himself. "That'll work," He said as he ran over to the annihilated desk.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was beginning to tire out from evading Hideo. He knew he needed to end the fight fast, but he couldn't figure how. As he dodged another attack from Hideo, it hit him. He flipped back onto the wall and shot himself off of it, catching Hideo by surprise. Kakashi pulled back his fist and slammed it as hard as he could against his gut, sending him back a couple feet before collapsing.

This was the moment. Kakashi knew he had to act quickly if he wanted to win the fight before his energy was completely drained. He put his arm down and said, "Raikiri," To himself. The Raikiri formed in his hand. He put his remaining strength into this attack. This one last attempt until it was up to Naruto.

As Hideo got up, Kakashi ran at him. Kakashi closed the distance between them quickly, catching Hideo once again off guard. The Raikiri caught him in the chest, penetrating the flesh completely. But something wasn't right. It felt odd. Hideo smirked at Kakashi before disappearing.

It hit Kakashi. "A Substitution!" He said.

Suddenly, Hideo came out of nowhere, landed behind Kakashi's back, and stabbed him in the back with a knife. Kakashi's eyes widened as he kicked Hideo away from him and jumped to the other side of the room. He reached around and pulled the knife out. He threw it to the ground.

It was it. Kakashi was out of energy. The rest would be up to Naruto.

Suddenly, a hand came to rest upon Kakashi's shoulder. Kakashi looked over to see Toshio standing fully and proudly. Naruto stood next to him, holding the key in his hand.

"Don't worry Kakashi-sensei, Toshio's got it all taken care of," Naruto said, giving Kakashi a thumbs up.

Toshio nodded and took a step forward. Hideo seemed to flinch. "What's wrong Hideo?" Toshio asked mockingly. "Are you scared to face me in a real match? Is that it Hideo?"

"Of...of course not, you fool!" He yelled, charging at Toshio.

Toshio grinned as he simply held out his arm, catching Hideo by the neck. Hideo tried to break free, but Toshio's grip was far too strong. Toshio slammed his head into the floor several times before delivering his fist into Hideo's face, breaking his nose and his jaw. Toshio smirked.

"You knew this would happen. You knew how strong I was, so you had to cheat in order to defeat me. But guess what," He said. He performed about a dozen hand seals. "There's not one single man to help you! Lightning style! Death Shock Jutsu! (I make these up, so that's why I don't translate, in case your wondering)"

Outside, storm clouds appeared instantly. A single lightning bolt shot down from the foreboding clouds and struck Hideo. His body flew into the wall, crushing it. His limp body fell to the floor in a spread eagle shape.

"Wow, that was awesome!" Naruto said, his jaw still dropped.

"Yeah, I guess it was." Toshio answered.

"One thing I don't get though. Don't get me wrong, but why was he so weak when it came time to face you?" Kakashi asked.

"While it was my chakra trapped within the bottle, he could still use it. He was using my chakra to fight you. However, when he fought me, the bottle was broken, so the chakra returned to its origin. It's as simple as that." Toshio explained.

"Oh, well that's cool and all, but how are we getting out of here?" Naruto asked.

"I think there's a hot air balloon at the top of the tower. We can use that to make our escape." Toshio said.

Hideo's eye slightly opened. He was determined to take his enemies down with him. With his last ounce of energy, he pulled a detonator out of his pocket, pushed the button, fell limp, and died.

Suddenly, A siren went off, followed by, "Self destruct initiated. Time till implosion: 30 seconds."

The men exchanged looks. "SHIT!!" They all exclaimed at once.

"Follow me!" Toshio ordered as he took off for the door at the end. Kakashi and Naruto followed quickly. They ran up a rounding staircase and made it to the roof where the balloon sat just as the speaker said, "12."

Naruto turned to the adults. "How do we fly this damn thing?" He yelled.

"Throw those bags off the side!" Toshio yelled back, pointing at the sandbags hanging off the side. Naruto quickly obeyed, throwing all of them off. When he finished, the voice said, "7."

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! We're gonna die!" Naruto began to say in panic.

"No we're not, now just hang on!" Toshio yelled. He pulled on a handle, but no flames came out. "Damn it!"

"I wish Riyu was here!" Naruto yelled.

Kakashi sighed. He realized that using any more chakra could kill him, but it was comrades before himself. Summoning his remaining chakra, he sped through the hand seals. "Fire style: Phoenix fire jutsu!" Flames erupted from his mask, making the balloon raise off the ground.

"We might make it!" Naruto cheered to himself.

"1."

The entire place exploded in a brilliant flash of light.

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While Riyu and Sakura were discussing tips for saving money, they heard a tremendous bang, followed by the ground rumbling and people falling.

"Is this an earthquake?" Kiba yelled.

A random villager pointed over the horizon. "No, look!" Everyone turned to look in the direction of the mine shaft. A little ways behind that, they could see the explosion going off. Soon, the entire mine could be seen imploding, launching pieces of the earth into the air.

Kurunai and Hinata, who stood atop of a building, stared in awe of what was going on. Tears began to flow from Hinata's eyes. Her body began to tremble, and her legs felt like giving out. She couldn't believe it...she wouldn't. She wouldn't to allow herself to believe that Naruto...that Naruto was dead. But she couldn't stop the tears from falling.

Her fellow ninja joined her atop the building. "What's going on? Is Naruto okay?" Sakura asked as soon as she got atop the building.

Kurunai shook her head. "I don't know." She said.

The smoke coming from the explosion now resembled a mushroom cloud (I'm not making a japanese joke, I swear). Everyone lowered their heads.

"I can't believe they're dead," Sakura said, tears forming in her eyes.

Riyu shook his head, at a loss for words. He wouldn't admit it, but tears were welling up in his eyes as well.

They heard Kimiko yell, "What's that?" They turned to see her pointing at something floating in the sky.

Kurunai turned to Hinata. "Hinata, could it be...?" She asked.

"I don't know, let me check," She said. She activated her byakugan. "I see...a hot air balloon. There are people inside." She said. She couldn't get a good look at everyone.

"Is it Naruto?" Shino asked.

"I'm not sure," She said. Then she spotted it. The face she could never forget. The face she was in love with. Now more tears began to stream down her face. "It's them! It's them! They're alive! I see Naruto-kun, Kakashi-sensei, and another man I don't recognize." Hinata was too excited to stutter.

Yukie, who was still holding her daughter, heard what Hinata had said. She got excited and pointed at the balloon. "Kimi-chan, your daddy's in there!"

Kimiko's face formed a giant grin and as she waved excitedly at the balloon. "Papa! Papa!"

Kiba looked at Riyu and tilted his head. "Riyu, are you crying?" He asked.

Riyu wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "No, I just got something in my eyes. Damn dirt."

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When the balloon landed, the entire village population ran to greet them. Naruto and Kakashi got off quickly to avoid getting mobbed by the crowd, but stuck around to see Toshio be reunited with his daughter. It was a tear jerking moment.

As soon as Naruto turned around, he saw a tearful Hinata throw her arms around his neck, nuzzling her nose into hir neck, choking on her sobs. Naruto held his arms out, not knowing what to do. He panicked for a moment, before deciding to hug her back. Since, you know, he did miss her.

"We...thought you...were...dead!" Hinata cried.

"But I'm not. I'm alive and well," He said softly. "I'm sorry if I made you worry Hinata-chan. I promise I won't do that ever again."

She pulled back and looked him straight in the eyes. "You...p-promise?" She asked.

He nodded. "I promise."

"Naruto!" Came Sakura's voice.

Naruto and Hinata quickly released each other, blushing. They turned to see Sakura and the others running towards him and Kakashi, who was enjoying the Naruto/Hinata scene very much. The ninja arrived, panting.

"Thank God you're alive. We were worried sick!" Sakura yelled.

Kurunai went straight to Kakashi. "Are you okay?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Except for this stab wound in my back. Sakura, could you come check out my back?" He called to Sakura.

"Sure," She said as she set to work fixing her sensei's back.

Riyu came and gave Naruto a high-five. "It's great to see you alive," He said.

"It's great to be alive," Naruto said.

"Naruto, you missed it. Riyu was actually crying!" Kiba said.

Naruto laughed and turned to Riyu. "Did you?" He asked.

"No! I told you Kiba, I had dirt in my eyes! Shino, was I crying?" He asked.

"Yes," Shino answered.

Riyu stuttered for a few seconds. "I did not!" He yelled.

"Yes you did," Sakura said as she laughed. "You were crying like a baby."

"Forget ya'll. I'm going to sleep. Wake me when we leave." Riyu said, walking away towards the motel.

"You know what, that actually sounds like a good idea. I'm turning in as well. Goodnight!" Naruto yelled.

Hinata went back with Naruto, as well as Sakura and Kiba. But Kakashi, Kurunai, and Shino stayed for a little while before they too went back to the motel for some much deserved sleep.

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Phew! Finally done. You all wouldn't believe how long this chapter took me. I kept changing ideas. I did it so many times, I actually ended up not wanting to write this chapter. I put it off so long, until the ideas started flowing freely. And then the chapter was born.

A lot has happened in the manga since I updated last. I mean, Pein and Konan's identities being revealed, Sasuke on his way to fight Itatchi, Sasuke killing Deidra, and Tobi being Madara Uchiha. Hell, I'm scared that Pein's gonna kill Jiraiya.

And I don't want anyone upset with me in their reviews. If I get nice reviews, instead of "I'm gonna hurt you" and stuff like that, then you won't get a new chapter in the next couple of days. That includes you, Pyrochan. You can rant on me on youtube, okay?

Here's the trivia question; what is Konan's special ability? It's not that hard.

Oh, and I finished the last Harry Potter book a while ago. I was sad to finish it, but it was good.

In other news, I had to write a script, secure a camera, help my school run the school news on live TV, and plot out a movie. We're currently working on it now. Be sure to check it out when it comes out. I'll let anyone that wants to know know when it does.

Now to answer reviews:

**Korhil Tohru**: It's okay, I'm really late to post, so we're even. I'm sorry for taking so long. And, once again, if you promise not to get upset, then I'll update this week with a new chapter. Thanks for the review.

**Ancestor's Dragon**: Thanks. And you got it right. Congratulations, and thanks for the review.

**TenTenRox1010:** Sorry to keep you waiting. I really am sorry if I made you mad with the not updating thing. I swear I never meant to take this long. Thanks for the review, and you got the answer right. You are an awesome reviewer.

**Chigatana**: Thanks for the review. Thank you for seeing it my way. The next chapter has fluff!

**Boby09**: Glad you liked it. And you're right! Thanks for the review.

**DanteHyuuga**: Lol. I call him the world's slowest asian. If you knew him, you would too. Power to the Naruto/Hinata fans!! Thanks for the review.

**Call Me Shira**: Thanks for the offer, but I went and made a new account! Thanks anyway, and thanks for the review!

**Almostinsane**: God bless you too, and please stick with the story. Thanks for the review.

**Weasel Debator**: I try to stay true to the character's personality. Thank you very much, and thanks for the review.

**YamiKyuubi**: Lol. Thanks for the review.

**T.O.B**: Hey my loyal reviewer. What's happening? I checked out that story, and it's pretty good. Here's one you should read. It's called Colors of Life and Death. It's pretty good. And about your One-Piece story, how is it coming along? Well, you are loyal. I always look for your review whenever I post. Thanks for the review!

**Chronostorm**: Uhh…thanks. Thanks for the review!

**Kingdom219**: You got it right. Thanks for the review!

**Skia'sheart**: Yep! Thanks for the review.

**Xo4evagurlxo**: Thanks. The account is VantagePointStudios. I'll check out yours today. I'm glad you like it so much, and the ending will definitely be worth the wait. It's a long story. Thanks for the review!

**ANBU26**: Thanks for the review, my loyal asian. Now, go make me some ramen noodles while I type up the next chapter. Lol. Thanks for the review.

**Haseo**: Hey, do not deduct points for the chapter delay please. If you don't the next chapter will come soon. Like, Wednesday soon. If you do, it comes next Monday. Just thought I'd let you know. I say that just to ensure people review. If I said 15 reviews or no update, then everyone would think I'm a snob or something. Thanks for the review. And God Bless you for reviewing so many times. Everyone should be like you!!!

**Dragon Man 180**: Thanks for the review. I tried to do this chapter justice, but I had writer's block. I hope you enjoyed it, and thanks for the review.

**Daragon10**: …Oops! Thanks for the review.

**Kage kui**: Well, Riyu was just that mad. When you wake him up, you're in for it. Thanks for the review.

**Pyro-chan the dragon king**: (Grabs Jedi light saber and Naruto movie DVD and flame shield) I'm sorry. If you just be nice in the review, then you can rant and rave at me on YouTube. Fair trade? Thanks for the review. And remember, if you get mad, the chapter gets delayed.

**Taintedlegacy**: Thanks for the review!

**Major Hinata Fan**: Glad you liked it. Thanks for the review.

**RasenganFin**: And last but not least, one of my favorite friends on fanfiction. The movie is currently in production. I just got the script done and we're planning on filming this week. I do, however, have a video called the candy commercial where I was trying to sell candy to my school. We made it in 5 minutes, without a script. I'm the guy not in the mask. And you got the question right. Thanks for the review.

Okay people, I hoped you all enjoyed this long chapter, and I will get the next one out in a couple of days. Thanks to all who read.

Remember, 5… No, 7 reviews or no update. Happy Haseo?


	19. Ch 18 Nostalgia

Here it is. As I promised, the next chapter in Fusion. Enjoy! Man, fluff can be hard. That's why I just wing it! The dancing was a last minute thing, but I hope you all like it.

**Disclaimer:** I've said this one, and I'll say it again. I do not own Naruto. I only have the rights to Riyu and Zulku, and even Riyu bitches about it.

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**Ch. 18: Nostalgia**

24 hours later (which would make it 7 am), the entire village gathered at the entrance to the village to see the ninja off. Everyone was sad to see them leave, especially Kimiko. She stood at the front of the crowd, clutching her mother's and father's hands, looking tearfully at Naruto.

After getting a much deserved rest, Naruto and a few others went out to the village to party. Others, like Kakashi and Shino, stayed indoors because they liked the quiet. Once the party hit 9:00, it was dance time. Everybody in the village danced all night long. But, when it came to time for the slow songs, things kind of got a little hectic.

Naruto remembered it well, and would remember it well for years to come, because Riyu swore he would never let him forget it. That night, when the slow music began to play, he and Riyu were pigging out at free food bar.

"Why don't you go ask Hinata to dance?" Riyu suggested with food stuffed in his mouth.

Naruto nearly choked on his food. He gulped it down and turned to Riyu. "Why would I ask Hinata-chan to dance?" He asked.

Riyu shrugged. "It _is_ the only night here. And who knows when we'll be able to have fun like this again. So why not go and have a good time?"

"But I'm having a good time right now, eating free food," Naruto said, emphasizing the fact by stuffing his face with another bowl of ramen.

Riyu sighed and turned. Catching sight of Hinata, he waved to her. She waved back, but looked worried about something. He leaned over to Naruto. "Hey Naruto, Hinata looks worried about something," He said.

Naruto spun around. "What?" He asked.

"I dunno," Riyu responded.

It didn't take long to figure out what the problem was. So many guys were approaching her, asking her to dance, and she was feeling uncomfortable. She soon began trembling. She was on the verge of tears.

"Why is she so worried?" Naruto asked.

"I don't think she's comfortable being around all of those guys," Riyu answered, reaching for a couple of rice balls.

Naruto put his food down and brushed himself off. "Well, I can't have that," He said.

Riyu froze and turned his head to Naruto. "What?" He asked.

"I can't have Hinata-chan being worried. Like you said, it's our only night to have fun, and it's about time she had some," He said. He got off his seat and nervously made his way across the dance floor.

Many girls his age approached him, but he turned them down and apologized, and kept on walking.

Hinata caught sight of him blushed. She quickly turned her face away so Naruto could not see it. _'He's coming, he's coming. What if he asks me to dance? What should I do? Should I say yes? Of course I'd say yes, but could I?'_ She thought.

All of a sudden, she felt someone tap on her shoulder. She turned to see a smiling but nervous Naruto. One hand was behind his head, and one was on her shoulder. "N-N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked weakly. Her heart began to pound like a drum.

"H-Hinata-chan? Would you...I mean, if you want to... but... do you... do you want to...dance...with me?" He asked. Hinata could see the sweat on his face and thought it was cute.

Hinata's face darkened to a crimson red. "..." The only problem was, while her heart was screaming yes, her mouth refused to move.

Naruto was getting nervous. Hinata hadn't answered him, and it looked like she was suffocating. He looked over to Riyu for support, but all he did was take a bite of a rice ball and give him a thumbs up. '_Thanks a lot Riyu, glad to have a friend like you,_' He thought. "Listen, Hinata-chan, if you don't want to, then you don't-"

"Yes," She blurted out.

"Huh?" He asked.

She blushed deeper. "I-I-I'll d-d-d-dance with y-you, Naruto-kun," She said.

"You will?" Naruto asked, half estatic and half afraid that he would do something stupid.

She nodded. Naruto outstretched his hand to Hinata, who took it and smiled nervously. They made their way to the dance floor and began dancing. Surpisingly enough, Naruto didn't suck at it. He was good.

Riyu watched them dance like a young anime fan watched the newest episode of Dragon Ball Z. "Wow. I guess Ero-sennin did teach him something after all."

However, a few people weren't happy with the two dance partners. Kiba and Sakura watched from afar, their hands clenched into fists.

"Look at the way Naruto's holding her waist, completly disgraceful!" Kiba spat.

"Oh, and look at the way she just leaned her head on his shoulders, what a slut!" Sakura said.

"What did you say about Hinata-chan?" Kiba demanded, turning to Sakura angrilly.

"What did you say about Naruto-kun?" She asked as well, glaring at Kiba.

Meanwhile, on the dance floor, the song ended, so everyone stopped dancing. Hinata reluctantly took her head off of Naruto's chest, and Naruto unwrapped his arms from Hinata's back.

"Th-that was fun, Naruto-kun," Hinata said.

"Yeah, we should do it again sometime," Naruto said, then froze, realizing what he had just said.

An awkward silence passed for a few seconds. Without thinking, Naruto extended his arm out as if to shake her hand. That's when things got out of control.

Naruto, being the klutz he is, and on top of that being nervous, overstretched his arm. Accidentally placing it on her breasts. Both looked down quickly, at each other, then back down at the hand. Naruto quickly withdrew it and immediately began to apologize. Riyu was on the side laughing his ass off.

However, before Naruto could fully explain himself, Sakura's fist came flying out of nowhere, catching Naruto in the side of the face and sending him into a nearby building.

Kiba ran up to Hinata. "Hinata, are you okay? Did Naruto take advantage of you?" He asked, as if looking over Hinata for injury.

Riyu leapt off his chair and ran over to Hinata. "What's going on?" He asked, looking around them. Literally everybody had stopped what they were doing to watch what was going on.

"Didn't you see that?" Sakura demanded. "Naruto touched Hinata's breasts."

"I saw that," Riyu said, "But it looked like it was on accident. You didn't have to hit him, Sakura." He said, looking over to his hurt friend, who pushed himself over and walked back to the group.

"What was that for?" He asked, rubbing the side of his face.

"For being a perv!" Sakura and Kiba yelled at the same time. Kiba turned to Hinata. "Hinata, tell Naruto that your mad at him! Go on, tell him," He ordered.

Hinata looked up at Naruto, her eyes almost tearing, clutching her arm. "I-it's all right. I know th-that Naruto-kun w-w-would never do t-that on pu-purpose. It was an...accident."

"Yeah, this is all a huge misunderstanding," Naruto said.

"Well," Kiba said, still angry. "I'm gonna-"

He was interupted by Kurunai walking up to the group and speaking over Kiba. "What's going on? Goodness, the entire village is watching you all." She paused once she saw Hinata. "Hinata, come with me. I'll take you back to the motel and we can talk. The rest of you should do the same. It's getting late, and we have a big day tomorrow." She said. She took Hinata's hand and led her away from the group.

Sakura and Kiba stormed off in different directions, and Naruto and Riyu stayed where they were. Naruto was still in a bit of shock.

"You okay?" Riyu asked.

"Yeah, but I don't think Hinata-chan is," He said with worry.

"Yeah, I wonder why?" Riyu asked, non sarcastically.

"Maybe she was getting embaressed?" Naruto suggested.

Riyu shrugged. "I can't keep up with women. It's like Shikamaru says, they can be troublesome."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, maybe your right."

There was a pause. Finally, Riyu spoke up. "So, were you really...you know?... Cropping a feel?" He whispered.

Naruto's face went red as he shook his head rapidly. "No, of course not! I was trying to shake her hand!" He whispered/yelled back.

Riyu smirked. "Yeah right. From what I saw, you reached out and touched it," He said.

"I did not! I swear!" Naruto said.

A thought struck Riyu"Oh man, you better hope we don't run into Inari, because I am gonna tell him so much crap," Riyu said. He ignored Naruto's protests and yawned. "Whatever, I'm going to bed. Wake me in the morning." He turned away from Naruto and, to avoid hearing Naruto's protests about how he was not trying to do anything bad to Hinata, broke into a run, with Naruto following close behind.

Back to present day, the ninja were fixing to head off. But the villagers wanted to see them off.

"Are you sure you have to leave so soon?" Toshio asked.

"I'm afraid so. We have a very important mission to finish," Kakashi said.

"I see," Toshio answered. "Well, if there's ever anything I can ever do to help you all, just let me know."

Naruto and Kakashi exchanged looks. "Actually, there is something you can help us with," Naruto said.

"What is it?" Toshio asked.

"You see, we have come into some knowledge that our village will be destroyed in 1 month, 3 weeks, and 4 days. And to stop that from happening, we are on a mission for some...objects that are supposed to save our village. However, we'll need all the help we can get, so we were thinking that maybe you could..." Kakashi said.

"Maybe I could help?" Toshio asked. Naruto nodded. "Well, you can count on me. I will help you all defend Konoha. You have my word."

"Thank you," Naruto said.

"Don't mention it. If it weren't for you all, we would not be here right now," Toshio said.

Kimiko sniffled. "Naruto, why do you have to go?" She asked.

Naruto crouched down and placed his hand on top of Kimiko's head. "Kimiko-chan, I have to go because I need to save my village. I'll tell you what, when we get done, I'll come and see you. How does that sound?" He asked.

She sniffled again. "You promise?" She asked.

Naruto grinned. "I promise."

Kimiko gave Naruto a hug. When she let go, she took her father's hand again. As Naruto stood up, Hinata and Sakura smiled while watching Naruto.

"We should get going," Kakashi said.

"I agree," Kurunai said, nodding to Kakashi.

"So where are you heading?" Toshio asked.

"We're going to the Land of Waves," Riyu spoke up.

"Ah, the Land of Waves. I know a shortcut that will cut your trip into half."

"Really?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. If you take the normal path for about an hour, there's another path next to a barn on the left. It's a straight walk, rather than the other path."

"Thank you very much," Kakashi said. He bowed to Toshio, who bowed back.

Every villager bowed to the group of ninja. They bowed, turned around, and began walking down the path. Soon, they disappeared from sight.

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"So tell me again, where was this guy from?" Riyu asked again a little ways down the path.

"The rock country," Naruto answered. Riyu started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, come on. He was from the freaking rock country, and yet he had to come all the way over here to start a _mining_ scheme. Why the hell would he come here?"

Naruto shrugged. "Maybe he wasn't happy with the mines in the rock country," He suggested.

"Are you two serious?" Sakura asked. "Why are you even discussing this?"

"We're bored," Naruto answered. Riyu nodded.

"Find something else to talk about," She ordered.

"Like what?" Riyu asked.

"I don't know, just find something," She said.

Naruto paused for a few moments, ocasionally stealing glances at Hinata. He was afraid she was still upset with him.

"Hey Naruto, what do you wanna talk about?" Riyu asked.

Naruto was snapped out of his gaze. "What? Oh, yeah. Uhh...How's training going?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" Riyu asked.

"You know," Kakashi said. "The training with Zulku-sensei."

Riyu stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I don't know, good I guess. If you can even call it training."

"What does that mean?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, come on Riyu. I've seen that letter Zulku-sensei wrote Obaa-chan. It said you were learning sand and stuff. How's that going?" Naruto asked.

Riyu chuckled lightly to himself. "Well, in all honesty, Zulku-sensei made all that crap up." He said.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, he tends to stretch the truth about my training." Riyu said.

"When you say stretch the truth, you mean...?" Kiba asked.

"He freaking lies. Yeah, I can't do sand, grass, metal, sound, or whatever else he wants to pretend I can do. There's only 5 elements: wind, water, fire, earth, and (as of recently) lightning. Those are the only ones I can manipulate. I'm only skilled at fire and air. Earth gives me a splitting headache, water is annoying, and lightning is uncontrolable."

"So you can't do sand?" Kurunai asked.

"Nope. Only Gaara can do that," He answered. "I swear, that ass hole of a teacher is trying to get me killed."

"Oh come off it Riyu," Sakura lectured, "He is _not_ trying to kill you."

"I'm serious, he is!" Riyu protested.

"Name one time."

"Okay, you want it, you got it. Let's see. It was when Naruto was away. He decided, since I finally learned a new wind jutsu, he would take me to a bordering village to celebrate and show me off..."

Flashback

_Riyu's clothes were torn badly. Gashes ran down his arms and on his face. His left knee was dripping blood. He wanted to go to the hospitol badly and recieve treatment. However, Zulku had other plans._

_Riyu was sitting outside of a bar, alone, while Zulku was inside hitting on ladies and getting drunk. He sighed as he continued to attempt to bandage his knee._

_Suddenly, Zulku burst through the door, a lady on each arm and a bowl of sake in each hand. A crowd followed him as he approached Riyu._

_"Hello Riyu," Zulku said. Riyu coughed. He could smell the alcohol on his breath._

_"What do you want, Zulku-sensei?" Riyu asked._

_"Jigo here wants to test your skills. I bet him 200 ryu that you could beat him," He answered._

_"What!? Why the hell would you do something like that?" Riyu yelled, shooting up, cauzing his knee to bleed a little more._

_"Don't be such a baby. You were write Zulku-kun, he is like that," the lady on his left said._

_"I know he is. Riyu, it is for my honor that you fight." Zulku said._

_"Wait, don't I get a say in the matter?" Riyu asked._

_"No."_

_"Damn," Riyu swore. He looked over to Jigo. He was extrememly muscular. In fact, Riyu was sure that there wasn't a spot on his body that a muscle didn't exist. Riyu gulped._

_"Okay fighters, take your positions," Zulku said. Everybody cleared away from the center, leaving Riyu and Jigo standing there._

_"Don't worry kid. I won't kill you," Jigo said._

_"Oh, thank God," Riyu said._

_"But I am gonna hurt you so bad that your children's children will be disgraced." Jigo ran at him_

_Riyu's eyes got big. "Oh shit!"_

End Flashback

"So what happened?" Naruto asked.

"I got my ass handed to me. Sakura ended up treating my wounds," Riyu answered, shame laced within his words.

"Yeah, he was hurt pretty badly. Well, at least you didn't get stabbed that time," Sakura said.

"Yeah, what is it with you and getting stabbed Riyu?" Naruto asked.

"How the hell should I know? I don't ask for it, they just do it. I mean, Haku's done it twice to me now, that freaking crossdresser. I'm glad he's dead." Riyu said, folding his arms.

"So, how many times have you been stabbed Riyu?" Kurunai asked.

Riyu paused in thought. "You know, I've actually lost count. Let's see, there was that time at the bridge, that time we went to the Tea Country, the time Kankuro's puppet stabbed me in the back, and there was that time that I thought Sakura was gonna stab me for stealing her diary, but I guess that does-"

"You did what?" Kiba asked. Sakura twitched angrilly.

"Well, Naruto and I didn't steal it, we just sorta...well, it fell into our hands...Naruto, you tell the story," Riyu said, passing the buck.

"Thanks Riyu," Naruto said sarcastically. "Well, last year, Riyu and I were waiting for Sakura to get done getting ready for the mission..."

Flashback

_"Hurry up Sakura!" Riyu yelled from the ground up to her window. _

_"Yeah, Kakashi-sensei said that if we got done early then we'd go to Ichiraku's for lunch!" Naruto called._

_Sakura approached her window and opened it. "Quiet! Beauty cannot be rushed!" She called._

_"Then is that why it takes you no time at all to get ready on every other day?" Riyu asked._

_"Riyu..." Sakura growled. She turned around and went back to pick out her outfit._

_"What is she doing up there?" Naruto asked._

_"Who knows, and who cares?" Riyu said._

_"I mean, she spends so much time supposedly putting on make-up and stuff, but it never looks like she's wearing any make-up anyway."_

_Suddenly, there was an angry scream filled with rage, a clunk, and a whoosh. Naruto and Riyu looked up to see what it was, but it was too late. Sakura's dresser droor came crashing down onto Naruto. Riyu instinctively jumped back. He looked back and forth from Naruto to a fuming Sakura standing at the window. She turned around and stormed off to the bathroom._

_Naruto pushed the droor off of him and rubbed the massive bump on the side of his head. "What the hell was that for?" He asked._

_"I dunno," Riyu answered. He extended his arm out to Naruto. He took it and pulled himself up. Riyu looked sideways at his friend. "What's that?" He asked._

_"Huh?" Naruto asked._

_"That think on your butt," Riyu responded, pointing at it. _

_Naruto reached around and yanked it off. He looked down at it. It was a book with the words "Haruno Sakura's Personal Diary" Stamped on the front._

_"That's Sakura's diary!" Riyu exclaimed._

_"No shit shirlock," Naruto commented. He pulled out a small pin from his pocket and began to pick the lock._

_"What are you doing?" Riyu asked._

_"I wanna read it."_

_"Why? You know it will just be filled with things about Sasuke and how we ruin her day. And it probably has her plans to get us back... On second thought, hurry up and open the damn thing."_

_Naruto quickly picked the lock and opened the book. He flipped to a random page. "This one looks good." Naruto cleared his thoat. "'Dear Diary, It's been almost a year since Sasuke-kun left the village-"_

_"Told ya," Riyu commented._

_"Be quiet. Anyway, 'And I miss him dearly. Naruto has promised to bring him back, and I trust him. I know I can trust him, because he has that look that shows me I can trust him. It's like-"_

_"Wow, she sucks at writing," Riyu commented again. "Skip to a different page."_

_"Fine," Naruto skipped to a different page. "Here's one: 'Dear Diary, it's been a year and a half now since Sasuke-kun left. Naruto has been back in the village for a while. I don't know why, but when he is around I start to feel better about the whole Sasuke-kun thing. Between you and me, I think I'm falling in l-"_

_"Naruto! Riyu! What the hell are you two looking at!?" Sakura yelled from her window. "Is that my diary?"_

_"Maybe," Naruto answered, slamming the book shut and hiding it behind his back. _

_"You two are dead. When I get down there, I'm gonna kill the both of you with my kitchen knife!" She disappeared from sight, but they could hear the thumping and the slamming of her door._

_Naruto and Riyu exchanged looks. They turned and took off running, dropping the diary. "You've done it now Naruto!" Riyu yelled, turning his head to see Sakura storming out of her house and chasing after them. _

_"Me?" He yelled._

_"Yes, you! If it wasn't for you opening that retarded diary, we wouldn't be here right now!"_

_"That's not true! You're the one that told me-"_

_"I'm gonna kill the two of you. You got my diary dirty!" Sakura screamed from close behind them._

_"Less talky, more runny!" Naruto yelled. _

_Sakura chased them all through Konoha that day._

End Flashback

The entire group was in tears laughing. Well, all except for Sakura, Shino, Riyu and Naruto. Riyu and Naruto were in tears, but not from laughing.

"So, how did it end?" Kiba asked.

"Sakura beat the shit out of us for 3 straight hours," Riyu answered. "She caught me first, then she found Naruto and beat him twice as bad."

"W-why?" Hinata asked.

"Because I told her he was the one who opened the diary and everything."

Sakura popped her knuckles. "I didn't think it was funny," She said.

Everyone quit laughing. "No, not at all," Naruto said as the continued down the road.

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Meanwhile, in the Akatsuki headquarters, the evil organization were in a discussion regarding Naruto atop the statue ofthe giant fingers.

"Leader, I have recieved word from Hideo-san that Uzumaki Naruto is on the move," Itatchi told Pein.

"Hmm... Is he traveling with Jiraiya again?" Pein asked.

"No sire. He is traveling with his Hatake Kakashi."

"Interesting."

"Leader," Zetsu spoke up. "Hideo is dead. I saw his tower explode. I know he was in it."

"A pity. It doesn't matter. He was a pawn, and he served his part. We should take advantage of this opprotunity. Sasori. Deidra. I want you two to intercept the Kyuubi container and bring him back here." Pein ordered.

Deidra complained. "Why not send Itatchi and Kisame to do it. The Kyuubi is, after all, Itatchi's demon."

"That may be true, but I need Itatchi for something else at the moment." Pein said.

"Fine," Deidra said.

"Come Deidra, we're leaving," Sasori ordered as he walked out of the cave.

"Don't go and get yourself killed Deidra," Kisame advised to Deidra, who was following behind Sasori.

"Yeah right, like I'd let myself get killed by a teenager."

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"And that's why Riyu is scared of the dark," Naruto said, finishing a story about Riyu that embaressed him. Everyone laughed but Riyu. They had been walkin for 5 hours. Only once did they stop for a quick break.

"I'm not scared of the dark!" Riyu protested. "I'm just not comfortable. There's a difference."

"So does your blanky make you comfortable?" Kiba asked.

"No! Shut the hell up!" Riyu yelled. He leaned over to Naruto and whispered so only Naruto would hear. "Naruto, remember how you made me promise not to tell anybody about you touching Hinata's breasts?"

"Yeah," Naruto whispered back nervously.

"I'm telling Neji," Riyu said. He brought his head back up and took a couple steps away from Naruto.

By this point, everyone had shared stories. Even Kakashi shared a story about when he rescued some woman from a burning forest and helped put it out. Shino shared a story about him and his dad bonding by collecting bugs. Kiba shared the story about the day he got Akamaru. Sakura shared her story about the day she spent with her mother for her birthday, and Kurunai shared her experience about the time she was called to the Rock country for some undercover work. Only Hinata had not shared a story, and Naruto was getting worried that she was still sore about the other night. He wanted to talk to her, but he wasn't sure what to say.

He gulped. "Hey Hinata-chan, why don't you tell a story?" He suggested nervously.

"M-me?" She asked nervously.

"Yeah, why don't you share something?" Riyu asked.

"Umm... l-like what?" She asked.

"Well, anything. A happy memory, a funny story, something like that," Naruto said.

Hinata looked over at Naruto's smiling face and smiled herself. She nodded. "I h-have a story. I remember, a long t-t-time ago..."

Flashback

_A six year old Hinata played happily in one of Konoha's parks in a sandbox. Her mother was siting on a bench, busy keeping Her newborn daughter, Hanabi, quiet by bobbing her up and down._

_Hinata carefully contructed a few sandcastles, occassionally waving to her mother with a smile. After a few minutes, she had made 4 sandcastles. Every once in a while, Hinata could hear a few boys yelling playfully at each other in the trees, but she never saw who they were._

_"Hina-chan!" Her mother called to her. _

_"Yes mother?" Hinata called back._

_"I have to change Hanabi-chan's diaper. I won't be gone for more than a minute. Do you want to stay here?" Her mother asked._

_Hinata nodded. "Yes please," Hinata said._

_"Okay, don't wander off," Her mother said as she walked gracefully to the baby changing station._

_Hinata turned back to her castles and began to build another one, while humming to herself. Suddenly, a shadow came over Hinata. She looked up to see a snot nosed boy standing over her with 2 boys at his side. He was dressed in a black shirt and blue pants, with his arms folded and a menacing smirk across his face._

_"Can I help you?" Hinata asked sweetly._

_"Yeah, you can start by getting out of our sandbox," The boy said._

_"W-w-why?" She asked. "We can just share."_

_"I don't wanna share with you. You're a girl and have no pupils," The boy pointed at her face and laughed. His friends joined in and laughed with him. The boy stomped on her sandcastles, crushing them to nothing. Tears welled in Hinata's eyes. "Aww, looky here, she's gonna cry." They laughed again._

_"Slow down Naruto!" A voice called from a tree. A six year old Riyu leapt out of a tree, trying to catch Naruto. "How else am I gonna tag you?"_

_"You'll never catch me in a miwlion years! Believe it!" Naruto yelled happily._

_"Stop sayin that! It's getting on my nerves!" Riyu called. Riyu picked up speed, getting within inches of Naruto. "I gotcha now!"_

_Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Naruto spotted Hinata being picked on. The smile faded from his face. The girl reminded him of himself. Being bullied without deserving it. He stopped running so abruptly, Riyu ran right past him and hit a telephone pole._

_Naruto angrilly walked over to the sandbox. "Hey, what are you guys doing to her?" He demanded pointing at the boys._

_The boy looked up at Naruto. "Leave us alone. This isn't any of your business." He said._

_"I'm makin it my business. Leave her alone," Naruto demanded. Hinata looked over at her savior, and a blush appeared across her face. It was love at first sight._

_"I'm warning you. This is our sandbox, and she's in it. She deserves it. Besides, she has no pupils, she's different." The boy said._

_"What's wrong with bein different?" Naruto asked angrilly._

_"Everyting," The boy answered as if it were obvious._

_That did it for Naruto. He walked up to the boy and punched him in the face without warning. The boy fell back onto his bottom, crying. "Why did you do that? You're a freak! You two deserve each other," He cried. He quickly got up and took off running, yelling "Daddy!" His two friends took off after him._

_Riyu got himself up and felt his face. There was a diagonal red mark running down it. He suppressed a cry and began walking over to Naruto, but froze to watch what was going on._

_Naruto turned to Hinata and smiled. "Are you okay?" He asked._

_Hinata wanted to speak, but her voice formed no words. So she settled for a nod._

_"That's good," Naruto said, extending his hand. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. What's your name?" _

_Hinata gulped. Her heart was racing, but she didn't want to seem like a spaz. She gulped. "H-Hyuuga Hinata," She said. She took his hand, and he pulled her up to her feet. _

_"I'm glad your okay," Naruto said._

_"You are?" Hinata asked._

_"Yeah, for a little bit, I thought you would get hurt," He said innocently. He bent down and picked up a daisy. He thought that it would be nice, since her name meant sunshine._

_"Thank you," Hinata said taking the flower delicately._

_Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but Riyu cut him off. He ran up to Naruto pointing. "Naruto! Naruto!!" Riyu yelled._

_"What Riyu?" Naruto asked._

_"Umm...Who's this?" Hinata asked curiously._

_"This is my best friend, Riyu. He gets a little excited sometimes, but-"_

_"Naruto, that boy's crying to his dad. And he just pointed at us!! His daddy looks really big!" Riyu said. _

_Naruto looked where Riyu was pointing. His eyes got wide. The large, muscular man was walking towards the park. Riyu took off running. Naruto smiled at Hinata. "I'll see you around, okay?" He said. Hinata nodded. Naruto took off running, following Riyu._

_Hinata blushed. "Naruto-kun," She said to herself. Her mother came back and sat down at the bench, apparently exhausted._

_Hinata walked over to her mother. "Mommy, can we leave?" She asked._

_"Why Hina-chan? Are you tired?" Her mother asked. Hinata nodded. "Okay. This works out perfectly. I needed to put Hanabi down for a nap anyway." She picked up her things and walked with Hinata back to their house. Hinata still held the flower close to her heart all the way home._

End Flashback

"Wow, that bas beautiful Hinata," Kurunai said. Of course, Hinata left out the love at first sight and the blushing, but that was only natural.

"Hinata-chan, why was that a happy memory?" Naruto asked, as he remembered that day of Hinata almost getting hit.

Hinata blushed madly. "I-it's b-b-because it's the f-f-first day I me-et you, Naruto-kun," Hinata stuttered.

Sakura and Kiba fumed on the inside.

_'Slut,'_ Sakura thought.

Naruto smiled. "Thanks, Hinata-chan," Naruto said. She smiled at him, but only briefly. She didn't want to run the risk of passing out again. And Naruto was happy. He now knew that Hinata wasn't mad at him.

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Orochimaru turned to Taisho. "So what you are telling me is that you failed to secure the map or bring me the Kyuubi container? And that you were the only survivor, choosing life over finishing your mission?" The snake Sannin asked the young Taisho, who bowed before him.

"Yes, my lord," Taisho answered weakly.

"Very well. Kabuto, please escort young Taisho here to the dungeon to await punishment," Orochimaru told Kabuto, who stood next to him.

"My lord..." Taisho started.

Kabuto nodded. He slammed his hand into Taisho's neck, knocking him unconscious. He then drug his body down the hall.

"What now?" Sasuke asked from Orochimaru's side.

"Well, we now know where the ninja are heading. I guess Taisho was good for something after all."

"Where are they going?" Sasuke asked.

"Still harboring feelings for your former comrades?" Orochimaru asked.

"Of course not," Sasuke stated, but he knew it was a lie. He wanted to meet up with his old team and inform them of Orochimaru's plot. In all truth, he never changed loyalties. He was planning on killing Orochimaru one day, anyway. He came to Orochimaru for power, and that was that.

"If you must know, they are going to the Land of Waves," Orochimaru said.

"Orochimaru. Please allow me to go and secure Naruto and the map," Sasuke asked.

"No, I need you here. Besides, I have someone else in mind." Orochimaru grinned in an evil fashion. (probably thinking about Sasuke in a too too)

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"And that's the difference between a grasshopper and a cricket," Shino finished. (Aren't you all glad I skipped it)

Everybody looked awe struck.

"Uhh...That was...Uhh..." Riyu tried to say.

"Interesting," Naruto finished for his friend.

Kiba had heard this story before, and felt like bashing his head in with a cement brick.

"Yes, I a-agree with Naruto-kun, that w-was int-teresting, Shino," Hinata said.

There was a silence.

After a few minutes, Riyu spoke up. "That reminds me of the time I met Ero-sennin," He said.

"How the hell does that remind you of him?" Naruto asked. Riyu shot him a look saying "Shut up before Shino gives us another story" look.

"Kakashi-sensei, how much longer until we make it to the village?" Sakura asked. "My legs are killing me."

"Hey, I was about to tell a story!" Riyu said angrilly.

"Calm down Riyu. We should be there by the time Riyu finishes his story, Sakura. So just listen to it for a little while," Kakashi said while reading his book.

"Fine," Sakura said, defeated.

"Anyway, it was after the Chunin exams, and Naruto and I were going for some ramen. Naruto lost his coupon..."

Flashback

_Naruto was peeling off his clothes, searching for his coupon. Riyu sat at the counter, wearing a look of shame. "Put your clothes back on!" Riyu shouted._

_"But I know it's here somewhere," Naruto said frantically as he searched thorugh his boots._

_"I could just pay," Riyu offered._

_"No, I said it was my treat. And I'm gonna honor it," Naruto answered._

_Riyu sighed as his stomache whined for food._

_"Where the hell is it? I know I put it somehwere!"_

_A man stepped into the bar. "Naruto, I thought it was you making that loud noise. What are you doing?" Jiraiya asked._

_"He's desperately searching for a coupon," Riyu answered, looking at the newcomer._

_"Who are you?" Jiraiya asked, seeing something familiar about Riyu._

_"I'm Uzuka Riyu. Who are you?" Riyu asked._

_Jiraiya's eyes widened. 'An Uzuka?' He thought. "I am the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya. How do you know Naruto?" He asked._

_Naruto jumped up in glee. "I found the coupon!" He shouted._

_"Great, now put your clothes back on before the health inspector comes," Jiraiya said._

_"Oh, hi Ero-sennin. I didn't see you there," Naruto said, sliding his pants back on._

_A grin formed on Riyu's face. "Ero-sennin?" He asked._

_Jiraiya's eye flinched. "Naruto, what did I tell you about calling me that?" He asked._

_"Never to do that in front of other people?" Naruto asked, zipping up his jacket._

_"Then why did you call me that in front of this kid?" Jiraiya asked, pointing at Riyu._

_"You mean Riyu? He's practically family."_

_"He is?"_

_"Yes, I've known Naruto since we were very young," Riyu said. "How long have you known him?" _

_"For a month. I trained Naruto for the Chunin Exam's final round."_

_"Huh. Really?" Riyu asked._

_"Yes, really."_

_"He's the one that taught me how to summon frogs," Naruto said, putting his shoes back on._

_"Man, that's a rip-off. You got to train with this pervert, but I had to train with Zulku-sensei, a pervert that likes to blame me for his peeping," Riyu complained._

_Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Zulku? Yunaki Zulku?" He asked._

_"Yeah," Riyu stated._

_"... Naruto, I need to talk to you in a while. I have someone to meet with first. I'll see you guys later," Jiraiya turned and left the room. _

_"What was that about?" Teuchi asked from behind the counter._

_  
"I have no clue, but I found the coupon!" Naruto said, handing Teuchi the coupon he had searched for._

_"So how big of a pervert is he?" Riyu asked._

_"He writes those books that Kakashi-sensei reads," Naruto answered._

_"No way."_

_"Yeah, and between you and me, I have this funny feeling that, one day, he's gonna get neutered," Naruto whispered._

_Riyu laughed. "You're thinking too hard. Now, let's eat." _

_Teuchi squinted at the coupon and turned to Naruto. "Naruto."_

_"Yeah?"_

_"I don't know how to tell you this, but this coupon is expired."_

End Flashback

A few of the ninja were laughing. Sakura sighed and rolled her eyes. "What was the point of that story?" She asked.

"To pass the time," Riyu said stubbornly.

"I was mad when he told me that," Naruto said with folded arms.

"Yeah, he even started to cry," Riyu joked.

"I did not!" Naruto protested as they began to ascend up a hill.

"I've seen you cry over ramen before, Naruto. That's actually believeable," Sakura said.

Hinata giggled. She couldn't help but laugh at her crush's antics. He made her smile every day he was around her.

"Well, Riyu ended up paying, so I guess it ended well," Naruto said.

"Yeah, my wallet still cries from that day," Riyu joked again.

"Kakashi-sensei, you said we'd be there by the time Riyu finished his story, we'd be there. How far are we now?" Sakura asked.

Riyu and Kiba sighed. _'Damn, she's like a little kid with this,'_ they thought at the same time.

They came to the top of the hill. Kakashi stopped them. "We're here," He said.

The group of ninja looked down the hill. They saw the town and the bridge. The village was a little bigger than Naruto remembered, but he guessed that it was because the village was growing since Gato was no longer tyranizing the village.

"Well, let's get going!" Naruto said. The team nodded, and continued their walk. They had made it to the Land of Waves.

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I guess the chapter wasn't breathetaking and spectacular, but give me a break. I just typed up a 12000 word chapter a few days ago. Also, with this chapter, I've hit 100,000 words! That's a big deal for me. This chapter is also a little late because my friend has my flash drive. I use that to transfer chapters from the computer in my room to the one in my living room. I just got it back and got him the chapter.

I also want to ask you all something. Did it really bother any of you that I made Naruto and Riyu 3 in the beginning, because I did that based off of Eureka 7. One of the kids could speak clearly, and he was 3. I just thought it would be okay. So here's what I might do. In your reviews, tell me if you want me to make them 4 or not. I'm getting so much grief, and I'm getting tired of it. If you want their ages changed, tell me. If you don't care, tell me. Just tell me something.

Okay, now for the reviews:

**YamiKyuubi**: Thanks allot. I worked really hard on that chapter, and it makes me happy to hear that you liked it. Oh, and thanks for the Japanese translations; I'll be sure to use them in the chapters to come. Thanks for the review.

**KorhilTohru:** Thanks. Well, by the end of the chapter, I began to realize that I needed to end it soon. My hands were cramping, and I wanted to finish that chapter fast. I'll admit that it wasn't that breathe taking, but at least I tried. You can thank Hideo for the 7 reviews thing. And I wasn't gonna make it 20, but it's people like you and my other friends that give me the idea. We'll see, it depends on how many reviews I get for this chapter. Thanks for the review.

**Khaldris:** Here is the review that angered me a little. "umm i don't really know whether things are done differently in ur family/country but 3 yrs old generally are not able to form full sentences, think coherently about dreams, and other like actions..." It's called a fan _fiction_! What the hell don't you get about that, you dumb #? This person didn't review for this chapter, but I felt like venting a little.

**Silver Warrior: **I love getting reviews like this one. It makes me think I'm actually doing something worthy of my time. Thank you so much for the confidence boost, and thanks for the review.

**Soraku392:** Lol. Don't worry; I will never abandon this story. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did. Thanks for siding with Riyu, and thanks for the review.

**Ancestor's Dragon: **Thanks for the awesome review!

**Rasenganfin: **That sucks. My friends and I have figured out how to get around the blocks, so we're good. J Thanks for the review!

**Chigatana**: Thanks. I miss her allot. And thanks for the review.

**Major Hinata Fan:** Thanks. I try to be funny. I guess Riyu is kinda like my comic relief character. Good answer to the question, and thanks for the review.

**Chronostorm:** Yeah, I guess I did forget. But, in all honesty, is there any Naruto fan that didn't know the 4th was Naruto's dad? I'm just glad to be out of that arc. Thanks for the review!

**Pyro-chan the dragon king:** All in all, not your best review. I worked hard on that chapter. Oh well, a review is a review I guess. Thanks for the review.

**Dragon Man 180: ** Yeah, I didn't like Hideo either. Thanks for the review.

**Boby09:** Again, I apologize for the long wait. Thanks for the review.

**DanteHyuuga:** It sucks when Asians disappear on you. I lost mine for an hour. I just threw eggrolls all over my yard, and he came out of hiding and tried to get the eggrolls. I shot him with a dart, and now he lives in a cage where he has no choice but to beta my chapters. Lol. I had a little too much fun with this review. Thanks for the review. Remember, eggrolls always work.

**WeaselDebator:** Yes, he is stronger than Kakashi. Pretty strong. Itatchi has subordinates in order to be alerted when a demon container is spotted. Thanks for the review.

**CyberXiger:** …Thanks, I think. Just kidding, thanks for the review.

**ANBU26: **Things like true love takes time, world's slowest Asian. You can't rush these things. Thanks for the review. Oh, and you misspelled thanks in the revised version of this chapter.

Thanks for all the reviews, but there were some unaccounted for. Like TenTenRox1010, and almsotinsane. Where are you guys. I was looking forward to your reviews. Oh well.

Trivia question: What is Pein's bloodline limit. (You know, his eyes) And what is his real name.

**Advertisement:** Be sure to check out ANBU26's story. It has Riyu in it. Oh, and be sure to go to www dot youtube dot com dash vantagepointstudios if you want to see what I look like. We have a new video up where I get slammed into a wall. We made the video without a script, and 10 minutes to film.

Remember, 8 reviews or no update. I'm getting evil.


	20. Ch 19 Naruto's Toll

(A/N): Hello again. I've been brainstorming lately, and Chemistry class has been a pain in the butt. And I've come up with a new writing strategy. You might or might not be seeing some updates in the next week or two, but that's because I'm gonna start typing all of the chapters I can, and then I can upload like two or three times every other day. I'm gonna try it, and if it doesn't work out then I'll just go back to what I used to do. I'm doing the best I can.

I haven't had a free weekend in 3 weeks. On Fridays I had to stay at school from 7:45 in the morning until 10 at night because I had to film the football game at school. We do a live broadcast of our game on the internet. If you're interested in watching, just ask me when it will be shown and I'll tell you the website. I'm a cameraman, and it isn't as easy as it looks.

And I couldn't help what I do in this chapter! I swear, this is the last thing I do to derail myself from the storyline. You know how writer's block can hit hard, right? Well, I have to write out about 8 really well thought out fights. It's harder than it looks. Just grin and bear it. I've watched the first 3 Naruto movies way too many times! And I wanna see the 4th one very badly!!!!

Oh yeah, I put up a trailer for Fusion. It contains a mild spoiler, but I don't have a picture of Riyu. My friend ANBU 26 said he would draw him for me. I'll put the link in my profile.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. All rights go to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own Riyu, Zulku, and the plot.

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**Chapter 19 Naruto's Toll**

Inari awoke that morning quickly. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and glanced at his clock. Noticing the time, he practically leapt out of his bed and ran to the closet on the other side of his room. He grabbed his clothes and threw them on, his hat going on last.

Satisfied with his look, he tore off out his door and down the stairs. He made a break for the door, but his mother Tsunami blocked his path.

She smiled at her son. "Where are you going Inari?" She asked.

"Today's the day that the movie crew that came into town a few days ago is filming the movie today, and they've invited everybody in the village to come and see the movie shoot! I wanna get there early to get a good view!" proclaimed Inari, his excited grin never leaving his face.

Tsunami placed her hand on her son's shoulder. "You should eat some breakfast first. Come take a seat at the table."

"But Mom!" whined Inari.

"But mom, nothing," Tsunami said, leading Inari to the table. "You're a growing boy, and it's unhealthy to skip breakfast."

Inari sighed in defeat. He knew there was no arguing with his mother. He took his seat at the table and waited impatiently for his mother to bring him his breakfast. After what seemed like hours to Inari, but was only a few seconds in the actual world, she came to the table with his breakfast. She placed a plate of bacon, eggs, sausage, and a biscuit down in front of him, and a glass of milk on the side. She patted her hand on Inari's hand before walking back to the living room.

As soon as he was sure his mother was gone, he scarfed down his food as fast as he could. Soon, his food vanished along with his milk. Inari leapt to his feet, hurriedly made his way to the sink, and placed the dishes inside of it.

Inari ran to the door, opened it, turned his head, and called to his mother. "Okay Mom! I'm going. I finished my breakfast and put the dishes away. I'll see you later. I love you!" He called before slamming the door shut and sprinting off.

"What was that about?" Tazuna asked from his lounge chair in the living room as he watched the television.

Tsunami, sitting on the couch next to her father, grinned at him. "He wants to go and watch the live making of a movie. And then later, I have the suspicion that he wants to try to sneak into Fugikaze Yukie's latest movie." She answered.

"So what time is the movie being shot?" Tazuna asked, taking a sip of his alcohol beverage after doing so.

"Inari said at about noon. And it's 11:30 right now," His daughter answered.

"I just hope there isn't a crowd. That would crush Inari," Tazuna said, taking another drink.

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"What do you think is in the package?" Rock Lee asked his companions as they continued on their journey to the Waterfall Village.

"I don't know," responded Tenten. "Maybe there's a large gem inside."

"It doesn't matter what's inside," Neji commented, his arms folded across his chest. "All that matters is that we get this mission completed as soon as possible."

Gai Nodded. "Neji is right. The sooner we accomplish our mission, the sooner we can return to our lovely village," He said.

"Gai-sensei is right! We should continue at a faster pace in order to reach our desired goal!" Lee said with fire in his eyes.

"Lee is right, but we should not be in such a rush," Said Gai.

"Why not?" asked Lee.

"Because rushing could lead us to neglect the package, and something could happen to it."

"Neglect the package?" asked Tenten.

"Yes, if we were just caught up in getting there instead of insuring that the package is kept safe, then the mission would be a failure if something were to happen to it."

"Yes," Neji said, "So please be quiet Lee, you're giving me a headache."

Tenten glanced over at Neji. "I have some aspirin, Neji. Do you need some?" She asked worriedly.

Neji shook his head. "No, Tenten. I'm fine... Thank you for offering." He said.

Tenten blushed and smiled. "No problem. Anytime," She said.

"So, Gai-sensei, how much longer until we're there?" Lee asked as he brushed some dirt off of his shoulder.

"Hmm...We've been traveling for about 5 days now. If my calculations are correct, and if my knowledge of the geography of the land is accurate, then I would say about another 2 weeks." Gai answered.

Neji, Tenten, and Lee exchanged looks of shock. "T...two weeks?" asked the brunette kunoichi.

"Yes, Takigakure is pretty far away. If we had some other method of transportation, it wouldn't take as long. Now stop whining and let's keep going," Gai ordered as the group approached a mountain.

Neji, Tenten, and Lee silently obeyed as they followed their Jonin instructor up the mountain.

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The Konoha ninja continued their trek towards the Land of Waves. The ninja could smell the salty water that surrounded the village. The trees were beginning to deplete in numbers as the ninja got closer to the village. Sakura and Riyu were in the midst of a conversation.

"I swear, the village doesn't have indoor plumbing," Whined Riyu.

"What do you mean? Of course they have it. I used the bathroom at least 4 times," Sakura countered.

"That makes no sense. When I went into the bathroom, there was just a hole in the ground and that scares me, because we were on the top floor." Riyu said.

"Riyu, you used the bathroom that was out of order. Didn't you see the sign?" Sakura asked.

"...What sign?" He asked.

Sakura placed her fingers on her temples, massaging them. "Oy...May God have mercy..." She breathed.

"So," Kiba said, "It looks like we're finally here." He said, eying the long bridge that ran from the land to the island. They were about 50 yards away from the bridge now.

"Yes, and it only took us 5 days to get here," Kurenai said, watching the sail boats gliding across the water.

"Right, so we have at least a day or two to find this temple and find the stone," Kakashi said.

"Yeah," Naruto said. "But then we have to go to 3 more temples. That could take a while."

"Maybe, but we should be able to get in and get out, you know?" Riyu said as he spotted a couple of girls lying out on the beach.

"Well, that all depends. You remember the Temple of Lost Souls, right?" Kakashi asked. Naruto, Sakura, and Riyu nodded. "The next temple could be like that one, but worse."

"Yeah, but we were only in there for about a day." Sakura said.

As the ninja got to the bridge, Hinata stopped and gasped. The group stopped and turned back to Hinata. "What is it Hinata?" Kurenai asked.

Hinata pointed up to the name of the bridge. The other shinobi had to backtrack to see what it was Hinata was pointing at. Finally, they saw it.

'_The Great Naruto Bridge,' _It read in big, bold letters. Shino, Kakashi, and Kurenai looked unphased, but still couldn't hide a slight smirk. Sakura, Hinata, and Riyu grinned. Kiba, too, couldn't help but feel impressed.

And, of course, Naruto couldn't help but contain his enthusiasm. "Awesome! Look, they haven't forgotten how awesome I was! This kicks ass! I have my own bridge!" He cheered.

"Be quiet, will ya?" Kiba asked.

"Kiba's right Naruto." Kakashi said. "We need to get going."

Everyone agreed and began walking again. It didn't take long to get halfway across the bridge. However, at the halfway point, there was a small building at the side of the bridge. They all just decided to ignore it and keep going.

However, as they passed, someone called for them to stop from inside the building. The ninjas obeyed, but only out of curiosity. About 4 men stepped out of the building, which surprised Naruto. They were all built, complete with muscles and mullets. They wore biker jackets with a rectangle outside of a triangle embedded on all of their jackets.

"Are you guys going to the village?" One of the men asked.

"Yeah, why?" Naruto answered.

"Well, I don't suppose you tourists know, but there's a toll to cross the bridge," He said.

"A toll? On _my_ bridge?!" demanded Naruto.

"Your bridge? Did you hear that boys? He said it was his bridge," The man said. He and the others laughed, which angered Naruto. "That's rich kid. Sorry to tell you this, but this bridge belongs to the TriRecks!" (A/N: Crappy name, but that's all I can come up with right now. XD)

"TriRecks?" Sakura asked. She looked over to Riyu, who shrugged.

"Yeah, so pay the toll now, or else we'll force you to leave," The man said.

Naruto gave Kakashi a look that was asking if he could severely injure these men.

Kakashi nodded. "Sure, why not," He said. "Just don't take too long," He said.

Naruto smirked, nodded, and rolled up his sleeves. It wouldn't take long at all.

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After Naruto finished pounding the crap out of the men unmercifully, he threw them off of the bridge. It took about 5 seconds before they heard 4 separate splashes.

Naruto pulled his sleeves back down and walked back to the group. Kakashi placed a paper bomb on a kunai and tossed it into the small building. It exploded, taking the small shelter with it. The bridge remained unharmed.

"Let's continue, shall we?" Kakashi said. The group nodded. They made is across the bridge in no time.

"That was kinda pointless, wasn't it?" Riyu asked with his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, well they shouldn't be charging people to cross this bridge anyway. It's the bridge of the people," Naruto said.

Entering the village again for Team 7 felt nostalgic. They could remember everything, since it was Team 7's first big mission. The only difference now was that the villagers appeared to happy as vast amounts of people filled the streets. They were shopping, children were laughing and playing with one another, and smells from kitchens all over the village reached the shinobi as they smelled the delicious smelling food.

Kakashi halted everybody from entering the village. He turned to them and crouched down. Removing the backpack from his back, he set it in front of him and removed two small radios. He attached one to his side and stuck a headset in his ear, and handed one radio to Sakura. "Here. Take this and set it to frequency 6. We're going to split up. Kurenai-san and I will research and attempt to find the location of the temple. I want the rest of you to find a hotel and get 4 rooms again. Once you do that, let us know where it is and then come help us. Is that clear?" The Copy Ninja asked. His teammates nodded. "Good, then let's go Kurenai-san."

Kurenai nodded. The two of them took off, jumping from rooftop to rooftop.

Sakura placed the headset in her ear and set the radio frequency to 6. She turned to her teammates. "So, should we get started?" She asked.

Then nodded, and they set off to find a hotel.

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"So you're completely booked? No rooms at all?" Sakura asked the lady behind the counter at a hotel.

"Sorry dear, but all of our rooms are booked for the next month." The woman said apologetically.

"I understand, thank you for your time," Sakura said. She bowed to the lady and left the hotel. She walked over to her friends who were waiting outside the door.

"Well?" Naruto asked.

Sakura shook her head. "Sorry guys. But their booked as well." She said.

"Dammit," Riyu said. "That makes 5 hotels out of 5 hotels that have told us the same thing. What are we gonna do now?"

"We could always camp outside," Kiba suggested.

"That could work, but I don't feel like sleeping outside again," Sakura said.

"And I heard someone say that it was going to rain tonight," Shino said.

"Great, that's just great," Kiba said.

"Hey, we could always go to Inari's house and ask if we could stay there," Suggested Naruto.

"We could, but I doubt his mother would really appreciate it if 8 people came to stay over," Sakura said.

"Yeah, I guess your right Sakura-chan," Naruto said.

Suddenly, Naruto felt somebody slam into his back. Naruto stumbled forward a bit, but the other person fell onto their bottom.

The group turned to see the person while Naruto spun around. "Hey, watch where you're going you..." He stopped when he saw the white hat with a blue stripe on it. He instantly knew who it was. "Inari?" he asked.

Inari looked up at Naruto and blinked a few times. "...Naruto?" He asked. He outstretched his hand, and Naruto took it, pulling his friend up off the ground.

"Hey Inari. It's great to see ya again," Naruto said with a smile.

"Yeah, it's great to see you too," Inari said, shaking Naruto's hand. Inari looked around and saw a couple of familiar faces. He saw Riyu, who waved back, and he saw Sakura who beamed down at him. However, there were a few strangers, and a few people missing. "Hey, where's Sasuke-san and Kakashi-san?"

"Oh, Sasuke's... He's just sick, so he couldn't come," Lied Naruto. "And Kakashi-sensei is around the village somewhere."

"Ok," Inari said, looking the strangers over.

"N-Naruto-kun," Hinata said, "W-who is th-this?"

Naruto turned to look at her and smiled. "This is Inari. He's a friend I made when my teammates and I were assigned to guard his grandpa so he could finish building the bridge," Naruto explained.

Inari turned his head sideways and looked from Hinata to Naruto. "Wait...Naruto..._kun_?" He asked, emphasizing the kun. "Hey Naruto, is this girl your...you know...girlfriend?" He asked, holding up his pinky finger.

Naruto's and Hinata's eyes got big as they exchanged looks of shock and embarrassment, their cheeks flaring. Naruto turned back to Inari as Sakura and Kiba felt uneasy, and Riyu continued to laugh. Naruto began waving his arms and shaking his head, both side to side. "No, no, no, noo...Hinata-chan is just...a really good friend! Right Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked.

"Y-y-y-y-yes, Th-t-t-that's right, Naruto-kun," Hinata stuttered.

Riyu continued to laugh. "You know what, this will never get old," He said.

"What's so funny, Riyu?" Kiba asked.

Riyu leaned over to Kiba so that only he could hear. "It's just the way they spaz out like that. Come on, you have to admit that it's funny to watch Naruto do that," Riyu said.

Kiba considered Riyu for a moment before lightly joining in on the laughing. "Yeah, I guess you're right, in a way." He said.

Sakura gave the boys a stern look; they fell silent immediately.

Inari just stood there, watching with amusement. "Okay, whatever you say Naruto. So, who are the other two guys?" He asked.

"Oh, on my left here is Inuzuka Kiba and his dog Akamaru on his head," Naruto said, pointing at the relaxing Akamaru atop Kiba's head. Then he pointed to Shino. "And this is Aburame Shino."

Inari bowed to each of them. "Nice to meet you," He said. Suddenly, he remembered what he was going to in the first place. "Oh no, I'm gonna miss it!" He said suddenly, causing the shinobi to look down at him.

"Miss what?" Riyu asked.

"The movie shoot. There's a big time actress here in the village, filming on location for her latest movie! And the director invited the entire village to come and watch the movie being made!" Inari said quickly.

"Really?" Naruto asked. "I haven't been to a movie shoot in about a year and a half," Naruto said.

"Really?" Kiba asked. "When were you on a movie shoot?"

"Well, it was a mission that Kakashi-sensei signed us up for. We had to guard-" Naruto was cut off by Inari.

"We don't have time. Naruto, if you wanna come, then follow me!" Inari said before taking off down the road at a surprising speed.

"Wow," Riyu stated.

"He's fast," Sakura said.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Naruto said, taking off after Inari.

Hinata followed next without hesitation, followed by the other ninja. Catching up to Naruto, Sakura asked, "Wait a minute Naruto. We're supposed to be trying to find a temple, remember?"

"I know, but we just got done with at least 3 or 4 major battles within the last week. We deserve at least an hour or two to have at least a little bit of fun, right?" Naruto asked.

"...Maybe you're right," Sakura admitted.

Riyu caught up to them next, coming up on the other side of Naruto. "So, are we going or what?" He asked.

"Yeah," Sakura answered.

"Awesome! I can't wait to see another movie being made," Riyu said.

"Why? You already saw Princess Koyuki-nee-Chan's movie being filmed," Naruto said.

"Yeah, but this time we won't have to fight any powerful villains just to be able to finish the movie," Riyu said.

Naruto and Sakura laughed. Team 8 didn't understand the joke.

It took almost no time at all to catch up to Inari. However, there was 1 problem; there was already a huge crowd that had gathered for the same occasion as Inari. The crowd blocked the view of the set, causing Inari to swear under his breath.

"Why does this have to happen to me? Why? I've been waiting to see this for months," Inari said.

"I'm really sorry, Inari-san," Hinata said, bending down and placing a hand on Inari's shoulder.

"It's okay. It's not your fault. I just got here too late, that's all." He said, trying not to let his tears show.

Naruto looked down at Inari and felt bad. He hated watching his friends cry. He let his eyes wander around the crowd, to the tops of buildings. He saw a billboard with a walkway with a railing attached to it on the left, towards the center of the crowd. The billboard said "Come watch the making of a movie August 6th," in big bold letters. Naruto grabbed Inari and slung him onto his bag in piggy-back style.

"What are you doing, Naruto?" asked Inari.

"I'm gonna let you see the movie being made. Now hold on tight," ordered Naruto. Inari obeyed. "Okay guys, follow me." Naruto leapt off of the ground and landed on the walkway of the billboard. His friends followed him as they too landed on the billboard. Inari slid off of Naruto's back and leaned against the railing.

He could see everything perfectly. He had the best seat in the house. He could see the director sitting in his chair, and all of the people setting up the scenery and props. He could also see the crowd, being held back by red railing. The set itself was huge. A lot of land was closed off just so they could film. Behind all the trailers and storage vans was a dock on the ocean.

"Great idea, Naruto," Riyu said, patting Naruto on the shoulder.

"I thought so," Naruto said.

"This way, we can watch the filming and not have to deal with a crowd," Sakura commented, taking a seat and letting her feet hang off the side.

The other ninja did the same as they waited for the filming to begin.

"So Inari, what's the movie being filmed?" Naruto asked.

Inari looked up at Naruto. "I don't know," Admitted Inari.

"You wanted to see this thing so badly, and you don't know what it's about?" Riyu asked.

"Well...yeah," Inari stated. Riyu banged his head into the railing. Inari raised his eyebrows and grinned at Riyu. "You don't change, do you Riyu?" He asked.

"Sadly, no," Sakura answered. Everyone but Riyu laughed.

The crowd's voices became hushed as a man Naruto vaguely recognized came out with a microphone in hand, which was connected wirelessly to a set of speakers behind him.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to shoot the movie. Everyone please be silent as the film is being filmed," The red haired man said.

Sakura tilted her head. "Hey, isn't that that assistant director guy?" She asked.

"You mean from that one mission in the Land of Snow?" Riyu asked.

"Now, the movie's director Makino-sama would like to say a few words," The assistant director said, stepping back. He handed the mike to an old man in a brown jacket.

Naruto immediately recognized the old man. "That is them!" He exclaimed.

"Who, N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.

Naruto quickly summarized the mission they had before Sasuke left the village to protect the actress Fugikaze Rukia, who was really Princess Kazahana Koyuki. Team 8 and Inari seemed impressed by the tale.

"Good evening! We're gonna get this show on the road! First, let me introduce the leading lady. You've seen her in the Princess Fuun movies, please welcome Fugikaze Yukie!" He yelled into the microphone.

Naruto's eyes widened as Fugikaze Yukie, or Kazahana Koyuki, stepped out of a small trailer. She approached the center of the crowd and waved to everyone. Many small children at the front of the crowd held out pictures of the actress. She smiled sweetly and walked gracefully over to them, signing their autographs.

"I knew it, it is her. Koyuki-nee-chan is here shooting another movie!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Do you think she remembers us?" Riyu asked.

"Of course she remembers us. If it wasn't for us, she would be dead right now." Naruto said.

Inari looked up at Naruto. "Do you really know her, Naruto?" He asked.

Naruto looked down at Inari and grinned. "Yep."

"Do you think you could get us into the premier?" Inari asked.

"What premiere?" Kiba asked.

"They're having the premiere for their new movie here. A movie theatre was just recently built, and since the director said he liked this village, he wanted to premiere the movie here." Inari said.

"And," Continued Makino, pointing to the second trailer next to Yukie's as Yukie came to stand next to him once again. "Next up is a newly discovered star that we just happened to meet on one of our travels. Please help me in welcoming a young man named Temujin!" He called. The door to the trailer opened slowly.

Team 7 wore looks of shock and bewilderment.

"Did he just say Temujin?" Riyu asked.

"There's no way that could be the Temujin we know, right?" Sakura asked, looking from Naruto to Riyu.

"Yeah, it has to be just a coincidence," Naruto said, staring at the trailer as if it could explode at any second.

A man with long blonde hair stepped out of the trailer. The man walked down the stairs leading from his trailer and began walking towards the director. Naruto recognized him immediately by the color of his eyes. He could never forget them. Temujin didn't wear the battle armor anymore. Instead, he was wearing a traditional male robe, a costume for the movie was Naruto's guess.

"Holy crap, that is Temujin," Riyu exclaimed.

"But what's he doing here?" Sakura asked.

"Okay, now I'm lost. Whose Temujin?" Kiba asked.

"We'll explain later. Let's just watch the movie shoot," Naruto said, not wanting to stop watching.

Temujin approached the area where his co-star stood, waiting for him. He noticed all the skeptical looks he was getting from the crowd. He was practically a nobody. He reached the center stage and stood next to Yukie.

The director continued to talk to the crowd, getting them psyched for the movie. Temujin continued to take in his surroundings, as he did since he was younger. As he looked about the crowd, a familiar sight caught the corner of his eye. He looked up towards the billboard. Seeing the familiar blonde ninja made his eyes widen.

Naruto grinned and waved to him. Riyu and Sakura joined in with grins matching Naruto's. Temujin grinned and began to wave. Yukie turned her head to see her co-star waving at someone. She, too, turned and saw Naruto smiling and waving. She smiled and waved back.

The crowd turned their attention from the director to the billboard. Makino fell silent and turned to see what everyone was staring at. It took him a few seconds to recognize Naruto, and when he did, he decided to let the rest of the crowd know.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I cannot believe what I am seeing! The heroes that made our previous movie possible, Team Kakashi. The girl in the pink is Haruno Sakura, the boy in the red is Uzuka Riyu, and the orange blonde is known as Uzumaki Naruto! Without him, Yukie would not be alive today! Please give them a round of applause!" He said. Members of the crowd exchanged looks and shrugged. They began clapping.

Not really knowing what to do, and also not wanting the crowd to get upset with him, he waved back at them. After a few moments, the director spoke up once again. "Okay, enough of that! I would like to get this movie shoot going. Actors, please take your positions." Mr. Makino said. He went to the side where the movie crew and cameras were and took a seat in his fancy directors chair. A man handed him a coffee. He drank it quickly and threw the plastic cup down energetically. "Quiet on the set! I wanna get this on the first try!"

Riyu grinned. "Man, if Kakashi-sensei knew what we were doing, he'd kill us."

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," Said Naruto, remembering his orders. "What are we gonna tell them when we meet up and we tell them we didn't find any place to stay?"

Inari looked back at Naruto. "Naruto, you all can stay at our house," He said as if it were a known fact.

The ninja looked down at the 12 year old boy. "Are you serious?" Sakura asked.

Inari shrugged. "Sure, why not? It's the least we could do. And besides, we added a few extra bedrooms to the side of the house. We rent rooms to people during the festival seasons."

"Well, that takes care of that problem," Kiba said, leaning against the rail with Akamaru happily sitting on his head.

"Yeah, let's just sit back and watch the show," Riyu said, taking a seat and letting his feet hang off the side.

"Action!!!"

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Kakashi slammed the book on ancient civilizations of the Land of Waves shut and placed it on top of his growing stack of books that did not help him to learn anything about the temple. Two hours had passed, and still he and Kurenai could not find a single article about the temple. Kakashi and Kurenai sat at a table at the library, thousands of books about history, and not 1 helped in the slightest.

Kurenai had her face buried in a book entitled _Myths and Legends: A History of Our Culture.'_Kakashi reached for another and began reading. It was getting to a real pain. Their efforts seemed fruitless. Not 1 single fact could be found in these useless books. Kurenai sighed. She closed her eyes and her book and placed it onto her stack of books. Sure, she loved books, but not this much.

"Kakashi, this seems pointless," She said, looking at her teammate. "We've been at it for hours, but we haven't come across a single clue."

"I know, Kurenai," He answered, not even looking up from his book. "But we have a job to do, and this is part of the job. If we can't find anything about the temple, then we will fail the mission. And failure is not an option."

Kurenai shook her head as she reached for the last book to her left. "Fine. You didn't have to throw it back in my face. Sheesh," She said, opening the book.

Kakashi looked up from the book. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to do that," He said.

"It's fine. Just get back to work," She said. Like a dog, Kakashi obeyed.

Kurenai read the title page, _The Dragon and the Swordsman: The History of the Temple of Honored Souls,' _Kurenai stopped. This was exactly what she was looking for. However, it could be the exact opposite she was looking for. She decided to read it before she was sure.

_Long ago, before the 5 Great Shinobi Lands were established, there lived simple samurai and swordsmen, and the Land of Waves were 1 island, instead of many. It was a village, but a village whose name has been lost through time. However, in the village existed a magnificent temple. The people only held funerals for the kind and just, the type of people that deserved peace after death. By such, the temple was named The Temple of Honored Souls. _

_One day, a brother and sister craftsmen visited the temple. They approved highly of it, and said that it would be the perfect place to protect an artifact. A beautiful and incomparable scarlet red stone. They gave it to the temple priests, and vanished. The people of the land believed that this would be a sign of great prosperity and luck, but that day marked the beginning of the end._

_A young swordsman named Gin and his fiancé named Kana. The two of them loved with a love that could rival time. They were set to be married in the Temple of Honored Souls. On the day of their wedding, the entire village had gathered for the event. Everyone was happy. However, everything changed._

_A jealous man that had been rejected by Kana multiple times came to stop the wedding, by force. He came crashing through the door on a fire breathing dragon. Its golden scales and green skin sent shivers down everyone's spines as it devoured multiple people. The man and Gin had a showdown, and for a while it seemed that Gin would be victorious. But at one point of the battle, the man got desperate. He forced the dragon to attack his fiancé. Gin naturally rushed to protect her. While Gin attempted to fight the dragon, the man crept away and touched the sacred stone. The seal would always be lifted on weddings and funerals, so the sacred object could fully grant those joining or departing life good luck. He absorbed the immense power._

_However, since he touched the stone and was not the actual chosen one (Whether there ever was or is a chosen one is controversial), the stone, while endowing him with power, caused a catastrophic reaction. A massive earthquake rumbled the land, forcing it to split and form islands. This, however, was a slow process. So the battle continued._

_Gin somehow managed to slay the dragon. When he turned to face his opponent, the sight he found horrified him. The love of his life had a thick metal blade protruding through her heart. The man that held the blade laughed with tears as he slung the body of the dead woman to the side. Her body hit the wall with a sickening thud. Gin's heart shattered the second he saw her body hit the wall._

_The temple lied on a fault line. As the land began to split, it had not moved. It was doomed to fall into the ocean. And when it finally did, the two men were still in the temple. They battled, both with nothing to lose and nothing to gain. The outcome of the battle is not known, but what is known is that the temple sunk to the bottom of the sea, in between present day Gin Island and Kana Isle. It is also said that the temple never filled with water because the gem protected it, but that is just a myth._

Kurenai finished reading the long story with a grin on her face. "Kakashi, I found something. Read this," She said. Kakashi looked up from his book and, putting it aside, reached out for her book.

He read it all carefully. His eyes widened with realization once he finished. He slammed the book shut and put it on the pile. "Kurenai, this is what we needed." Kakashi quickly pulled out an atlas. He read the island names. "So we are on Gin isle, and Kana isle is right next to us. Let's go and inform the others!" He said.

"Hai," She nodded.

They took off to the library's exit, but an old lady librarian caught Kakashi's jacket neck, halting him from continuing.

"Excuse me dear, but where do you think you're going without putting up the books?" She asked sweetly. (I can't help but say this really quickly, just because my mean grandmother can't read this. If it were her as the librarian, as a friend of mine wanted me to do, she would have said "Get the hell back here and pick up these damn books. I'm gonna lie in court to sue a hotel later, and I don't have time to pick up those books written by those damn Japanese crack heads. I have to also go out and buy hard liquor and beat up orphans and steal their money!"... I swear to God, that's what she would say. I hate her!...XD sorry, couldn't resist. Back to the story)

"Uhh..." Kakashi looked from the lady to the books and back to the lady. He sighed. "I'll get right on it," He said as he and Kurenai went back to put the massive piles of books away.

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Naruto and the others watched the scenes be filmed all around the village for at least 3 hours. It was amazing to everyone, she was a completely different actress. If anything, her acting was a lot better. After the filming was done, the director came out to the crowd once more. Naruto and the others stood atop of a building, since they had long since moved away from the billboard.

"Okay people, that's it for today. If you have a pass, you are invited to the premiere of the new Princess Fuun movie! If you don't, just wait till it comes out in theatres everywhere!" He said. The Konoha shinobi waited for the crowd to die down before they leapt down off of the building (Inari on Naruto's back of course) down to the ground where Koyuki and Temujin were waiting.

"Naruto!" Temujin cried, shaking Naruto's hand. He then proceeded to shake Riyu's and Sakura's hands as well. "Where is Shikamaru?" He asked.

"Oh, Shikamaru was only a temporary teammate," Riyu explained. "He's in Sunagakure right now with his team."

Koyuki approached Naruto next. She smiled at him. "Well Naruto, I hardly recognize you anymore. You aren't yelling at me like you did a few years back. In fact, you've gotten taller." She turned to Sakura. "You've gotten prettier, Sakura," She said. Sakura blushed and thanked her. She looked over at Riyu and smiled at him." And Riyu, you've grown as well. So, what brings you all here?" She asked.

"We're here on a mission. It's a long story, and I don't think we have time to cover it. We have to meet up with Kurenai-sensei and Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said.

"You guys can't leave yet," Temujin said.

"He's right. You should stay for the premiere so we can catch up," Koyuki said.

"But we don't have passes," Kiba pointed out.

Koyuki turned to Kiba and tilted her head. "You don't seem familiar. Naruto, who are these people?" She asked.

"Oh, right. Kazahana Koyuki, the boy with the dog is Inuzuka Kiba, the guy in the white jacket and sunglasses is Aburame Shino, and the indigo haired girl is Hyuuga Hinata," Introduced Naruto.

Koyuki bowed to each person, but paused at Hinata. "So you are Hyuuga Hinata?" She asked.

Hinata was somewhat shocked that the famous actress to whom she was a fan of knew her name. Hinata nodded. "H...hai," She said. "How do y-you know my name?"

"Oh, someone told me that you had a-"

She caught Riyu out of the corner of her eye making a motion with his hand in front of his neck that said, "Cut it out." He seemed to be begging.

"...Well, Naruto err...mentioned your name once," She lied.

Hinata's cheeks reddened. Naruto tilted his head. _'Wait, did I ever mention Hinata-chan to Koyuki?...I can't remember...'_ He thought.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" Sakura exclaimed. "I've been meaning to ask how you and Temujin met."

Temujin and Koyuki exchanged looks. They smiled and nodded to each other. Koyuki turned back to the pink-haired kunoichi. "You see, after I settled into the princess life for a little while, the director felt that we needed to start filming again. And you know him, he loves to film abroad. Well anyway, we came to a land and when we got there, the director just happened to spot Temujin and said "That's him! That's the boy I always envisioned as Princess Fuun's long lost brother!" She said, speaking in a deeper voice for the director.

"So that's what was going on," Naruto said. "It was kinda hard to know what was going on."

"What does that mean?" Riyu asked. "We spent the whole damn day watching the movie, and you didn't know he was her brother?" He pointed at Temujin and Koyuki.

"Was I?" Naruto asked, folding his arms across his chest and tilting his head.

Riyu dropped his head. _'I swear, it's gonna take a miracle for Naruto and Hinata to get together.'_

The group spent the next few hours discussing various topics. What Koyuki had been doing, how her rule over her land had been, how Temujin had adapted to his new life, and what the experiences were like. After a few hours, Koyuki and Temujin had to leave to get ready for the premiere. Thanks to Inari's pestering, Naruto remembered to get the passes from Koyuki and Temujin. They walked to the movie theatre and waited for doors to open. Once they were in, they bought the popcorn and drinks and went into through the first door. Temujin and Koyuki were sitting in the 4th row. They waved for the group to come to them.

They took their seats and talked more. Hinata sat by Naruto because Riyu gave up his seat and sat next to Shino and Sakura. It took about 15 minutes for the theatre to fill up completely. Naruto looked around with wonder.

"I've never been to a premiere before," He said.

Koyuki leaned in closer to him. "Premieres can be a lot of fun. You get to see bonus footage of how the movie was made and what it took to recreate some scenes." She said.

"That sounds cool. So, what's the movie?" He asked.

Koyuki thought for a moment. "You should know which movie." She said.

"...You mean it's _**that**_ movie?" He asked surprised.

She nodded. A few minutes later the lights darkened and the doors were shut. The movie screen came to life with the face of Mr. Makino on the screen. "Ladies and gentlemen. I would like to thank you for coming to see this movie. Please stay tuned after the movie for a special making of, where we show you the honest hard work it took for this particular movie," He said. He faded away, and the ads for various movies began to play.

The ads disappeared and the movie began to play. Naruto remembered all of the scenes he was seeing. The movie lasted for an hour and 45 minutes. Once it was over, the audience all stood up and clapped and cheered. The director's face came on the screen once again and said, "Please stay tuned until after the credits for the making of this movie." After he faded away once more, the credits began playing.

Riyu leaned over towards Naruto. "Hey, do you think they'll show us?" He asked.

Naruto shrugged. "They could. I don't know." He answered. Naruto and Riyu sat back and waited patiently for the credits to finish.

Once they were over, the title _the making of _flashed on the screen. Various interviews with the cast played before the audience.

Koyuki's came up next. There was a man sitting beside her in a chair, asking her questions. "So Fugikaze Yuki, or should I call you Princess Kazahana Koyuki?" The man asked.

Koyuki grinned. "Yukie is fine. I've gotten used to the name," She answered.

"Fine. So Yukie-san, I heard that the movie was almost canceled. Why?" He asked.

"Well, you see. We hit a speed bump with this movie. My uncle Doto found me and kidnapped me. He was an evil man," She answered.

"Was?" He asked.

"Yes, he's dead."

"So who killed him?"

"A young man named Uzumaki Naruto," She answered.

Hinata blinked a few times at hearing her crush's name and turned to Naruto. "N-Naruto-kun? Did y-you really do th-that?" She asked.

"You bet. Just watch," He said without breaking eye contact with the screen. Hinata nodded and turned her attention back to the screen.

"So how old was this Uzumaki Naruto?"

"About 13 years old."

The screen changed to the same man sitting with the director. "So I hear you have footage of this Uzumaki Naruto?" The man asked.

"Yes. As a director, I wanted to capture the 100 real battle that played before our very eyes." Makino said.

The man turned to the camera. "Let's role the clip."

The scene changed to the forest. Naruto appeared running weakly in the forest, yelling that he would not give up. The director called Naruto over and asked if they needed a lift. The scene then changed to Naruto running at Doto.

Doto performed the black dragon blizzard jutsu, catching Naruto in his chest and sending him spiraling up into the air. He came crashing down back to earth with a sickening slam, cracking the ice he was on.

Hinata's hands instantly flew to her mouth. She hated seeing Naruto in pain.

The camera caught Doto smirking, but his smirk turned to anger as he saw Naruto getting up, taunting Doto.

"Naruto, please stop!" Koyuki cried. "If you don't stop he's going to kill you!"

"Trust me... If you just have a little faith in me, then I promise you that I won't lose," Naruto said, pushing himself up to stare angrily at Doto. The object on his chest cracked.

Hinata turned to Naruto. "N-Naruto-kun, what i-is that th-thing on y-your chest?" She asked.'

"That was something that that Doto-teme invented to seal chakra. He tested it out on me, and it worked," Naruto answered.

Hinata was about to answer, but she got caught up in the movie.

Doto questioned the device and rushed at Naruto at full speed. Naruto had no time to react as Doto's fist slammed into Naruto, sending him down into the freezing water.

Hinata reacted by grabbing Naruto's hand. Naruto looked nervously at her and smiled. "Don't worry, Hinata-chan. It will be alright. Just watch," He said. Hinata nodded, but still didn't loosen her grip on his hand.

Suddenly Sasuke came into the shot. He ran at Doto, holding out some sort of small pink crystal. Doto was caught off guard as Sasuke then attacked with his chidori. Doto's armor cracked, but he managed to counter by slamming Sasuke in his side. Sasuke slammed into a small pillar of ice and fell unconscious.

Doto smirked, believing he had won. As he walked away, he heard rumbling. He turned to see the water turn red. Suddenly, literally dozens of Naruto's shot out of the water. They rose far into the air, screaming "It's pay back time. With interest!"

An excited smile came to Hinata's face.

Doto performed more hand signs. "Bring it on you little squirt!" He launched two black dragon attacks at the Narutos. They formed a twister, lashing out at all of the Naruto's and destroyed every single one.

Doto laughed, but 2 Naruto's appeared out of the smoke. They yelled something about justice to Doto and ran at him. The Rasengan began to glow seven colors. Doto threw his fist at a Naruto, but hit the clone. Naruto slammed the Rasengan into his chest. Doto was sent spiraling into a Rainbow Glacier. He died on impact, causing parts of the Rainbow Glacier to collapse and fall with his body.

The screen went back to the interview. "So he really saved the show, eh?" The man asked.

Koyuki nodded. "Yes, he did."

The screen went black, and lights came back on.

Koyuki stood up and gestured for Naruto to do so as well. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce Uzumaki Naruto!" She called. The members of the audience immediately began clapping and chanting his name.

Tears welled up in Naruto's eyes, which didn't go unnoticed by Hinata. He had always wanted something like this. Everyone in the room had accepted him without question. He was happy.

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After the Konoha shinobi and the actors left the theatre, they said their heartfelt goodbyes and went their separate ways.

As the shinobi walked down the street discussing the movie, they failed to notice until the last moment that Kakashi and Kurenai were standing in front of them with their arms folded across their chests. Naruto and the others froze.

"So, what did you all do today?" Kakashi asked in a serious tone.

"We went and saw a movie and-" Riyu tried to say, but Kiba and Sakura covered his mouth with their hands.

"A movie eh? And did you find us a place to stay?" Kurenai asked, hands on her hips.

"Yeah," Naruto said, pointing at Inari. "Inari said we could stay at his place. They've added on since we were here last, so he said it would be no trouble."

Kakashi looked down at a nodding Inari. "Oh, hello Inari. I didn't see you there. I guess we can stay, as long as it isn't a burden to your mother," He said.

Inari shook his head. "No, of course not. She would be happy to have you stay."

"Okay," Naruto said. "Lead the way Inari."

Inari nodded and began leading them to his house.

"So, Kakashi-sensei, did you find out anything about the temple?" Sakura asked.

"Why, yes we did." He answered.

"Awesome, so where is it?" Naruto asked, his eyes fixated on the jonin in front of him.

Kakashi turned his head to him and smirked behind his mask. "It's under water."

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Okay, stop calling my chapters fillers. It's providing a back-story so you can better understand the character. And there is a reason for the whole thing with the other village a few chapters back. Remember, I don't do things for no reason.

Man, a really bad storm hit my neighborhood a while ago and this chapter got deleted, because I was typing, didn't save, and my power died on me. It was a really sad day because if I do something great the first time, and I have to do it a second time, I get a little depressed. Oh well, I just hope you all liked this chapter. I put in the movie stuff for a reason, as well. You'll have to wait to find out.

Now for the reviews... You know, I love the reviews, but there are so many of them!

**Sika'sheart:** Yeah, I guess it wouldn't matter. And she just consoled her. You know, like a mother would a daughter. Thanks for the review.

**Patriotfire:** Thanks for the review.

**Bobbetter:** Maybe…thanks for the review.

**Garthjax:** Thanks a lot for the confidence boost, and the review.

**Korhil Tohru:** I know who Jesus is, but who is Cris? I wanted to explain Riyu's fear of the dark later. So, be patient. And it wasn't a filler. It was a back-story! Thanks for the review.

**Allan Pike:** …Hey, it's not as easy as it looks being a lazy jackass. It takes real skill and motivation. Thanks for the review, you smart-ass.

**ANBU 26:** I did it because you refuse to do my math homework! You Asians frustrate me when you build a backbone! Thanks for the review!

**Soraku92:** I like it. It's not bad. Thanks for the review.

**Pyro the Harbinger of Chaos:** ... Fair enough. And sorry for blowing up at you a while back. My sister kinda did something to one of my Legend of Zelda games while I was on the computer, and I took my anger out on you. Sorry man, I consider you a friend, because you're not afraid to tell me what you think. That's a really good quality. But, for the sake of reviews, feel free to lie to me. Criticize me in a personal message. And I liked your comment on my YouTube page, it made me laugh a little. I can't talk to you on YouTube unless you accept my friend invite. Thanks for the criticism, and I like your new name.

**Weasel Debater: **Well, at least you reviewed. Thanks.

**Dragon Man 180:** Well, I do something for Sakura later, so just wait. And thanks for the review!

**Mlkoolc86: **Finally, someone that understands! Thanks for the review.

**Lunarlily828: **Wow… Thanks for the awesome and long review. I hope you aren't upset with this chapter. Thanks for the review.

**YamiKyuubi:** I'm funny! Wait until my friends hear about this! Thanks for the review.

**Chigatana:** My fluff meter broke on me in the middle of that chapter! It was so depressing. Thanks for the review.

**Sdkronon:** You'll just have to wait and see. I have thought this story out very carefully, but I will admit not to every single detail. Thanks for the review.

**DanteHyuuga:** Yeah, my asian is trapped inside of a cardboard box. It's like a living hell for him because he is separated from all technology. Thanks for the review.

**Gogeta408:** No offense, but I've said this once already. The fusion jutsu isn't based off of Dragonball z. It just came to me. I even forgot that they did a fusion technique when I thought of this story. I'm not mad at you or nothing, quite the opposite, I'm happy you reviewed. But I keep getting this. Oh well, thanks for the review.

**T.O.B: **A friend of mine is trying to make a Naruto story, but his character Zuu is way too powerful. I've warned him dozens of times that it wouldn't work, but he chooses to ignore me. And it's weird that the voices are different. It made me mad. I got too used to the other voices. I hope you stay with the story, and thanks for the review.

**Silver Warrior:** I believe in happy endings, so don't over think things. Thanks for the review.

**Boby09:** Sorry the update took so long. Thanks for seeing the age thing my way. Thanks for the review.

**Chronostorm:** Yeah, but everyone I tell just give me a dumb stare and say that they already knew that. Do you think Jiraiya's gonna die soon, because I do. You don't pick a fight with the leader of an evil organization unless you're the main character! Thanks for the review!

**RasenganFin:** Lol, don't we all? Thanks for the review.

Okay, poll time. Who thinks that Jiraiya will be the next to die? Just tell me in your reviews.

**From ANBU26:** No problem I can always have a backbone against you when it comes to math because remember who made your computer? Lol I win again. And the reason I was trapped in a cardboard box because he left a trail of ramen. I hope you enjoyed his story. Your buddy, the friendly Asian.

**Riyuto-san:** …Sure, why not. You built my computer because you were bored, and it took you plus your 10 year old little brother! You sat around while he did all the work. You ate all the ramen and stole my Shonen Jump!!!

Sorry about that. But he started it!

5 reviews or no update!


	21. Ch 20 Waterlogged

(Hides behind nearest fat guy) hehe... I guess you are all a little mad at me for not updating... Yeah, I don't blame you. I can sum up the excuse in one phrase... I got Halo 3, and Xbox360, and a year of xbox live for Christmas. Yeah, nonstop killing and stuff. If you wanna play with me, my gamer tag is the same as my fanfic name, but without the dash.

I'm gonna start doing something interesting. Since I got a video camera this year I'm gonna start posting reviews to the fanfic on youtube. That way I can have more videos. I'll also update people on information as to why I'm not updating. The more I think about it, the more it seems like a good idea. Let me know in the reviews.

Anyone ever see Deathnote? I always sit like L for some reason. I don't know why. And the number one reason why this chapter is late: I LOST THE FREAKING ROUGH DRAFT!!!

**Disclaimer:** Riyuto-san in no way, shape, or form admits to owning the franchise known as Naruto (Take that you panty wad lawyers). He does, however, own the right to pwn all the noobs in halo 3!

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"I still don't get it. How is it underwater?" Naruto asked at Tsunami's dinner table. Night had fallen and the women had retired to their rooms. Only Shino, Riyu, Kiba, Kakashi, Naruto, and Tsunami remained awake. Inari had brought the ninja to his house a couple hours ago, and it didn't take much for Tsunami to agree to let them stay. She said she was happy to help. After everyone was introduced to one another, the women, save for Tsunami, decided to retire for the night.

Riyu's head lay on top of his folded arms on the table. It was by Kakashi's orders that the men remained in the dining room. He, along with Kiba and Akamaru, were on the verge of dreary and peaceful sleep. Akamaru was curled up on the table in front of his master.

"I explained the story, you should know by now," Kakashi responded, suppressing the urge to yawn. Tsunami walked to Kakashi with a coffee pot in hand and offered a refill, which he gladly accepted.

"So, that doesn't explain how we get down there," Said Kiba, who was staring at Akamaru's tail as it swayed back and forth.

"Kiba's right, it's not like we can swim all the way down there," Riyu commented, rubbing the sleep out of his sleep depriven eyes.

Kakashi sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I must admit, this is turning out to be more difficult than I thought." He said.

"So you don't know how we're getting down there either?" Naruto asked, for some reason, he was the one wide awake.

"Kakashi-sensei, if I may ask, how far away is the other island, and how will we make it over to said island?" Shino asked. Because of his sunglasses, it was impossible to tell if he was drowsy or not.

"It's not too far away. About a couple miles off the coast. And Kurenai-sensei and I have already set an appointment with a local fisherman to take us over to the island at 7:00 tomorrow morning." Answered Kakashi.

Riyu raised his head slightly to attempt to give his sensei a dirty look, but his face was so tired that all he could muster was eye contact without blinking. "So you mean for us to get 7 hours of sleep or less?" He asked. Kakashi nodded. Riyu closed his eyes and lowered his head deeper into his arms. "I hate my life," he muttered. He picked himself up from the table and, almost like a drunk man, swayed down the hall muttering a good night in his friend's direction.

Naruto looked to the group with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. When Riyu wants to sleep, he needs to sleep, or else he sucks at whatever he does the next day."

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Whatever. We need to get back the whole 'how are we getting down there in the first place' thing." He said.

Kakashi thought for a moment then looked over to Naruto. "Naruto, couldn't you summon a frog?" He asked.

Naruto thought about it. Yes, a frog would work. Maybe Gama could do it. He'd have to come back up several times, but it could work. Naruto looked up at his sensei and nodded. "Yeah, that could definitely work." He said.

Kakashi nodded. "Okay, that takes care of that. It's pretty late, so I say we all head off to bed."

Everyone agreed, and they all headed off to their respected rooms.

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Another hour had passed, and everyone had fallen asleep quickly. Well, everyone save for Naruto. He lied in his bed for half an hour, struggling to fall asleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw his friends dying; being incinerated or having their lifeless eyes gaze into nothingness. Sweat clung to his brow as he tossed and turned in his futon.

Naruto threw off his comforter and slid on his indoor slippers. He left his room and quietly tip-toed down the stairs. He walked through the living room and the kitchen and slid the door to the outside shut with the utmost care. Naruto stood on the porch of Inari's house. It was funny, how much he liked it here. Last time he was here, all he wanted to do was make it back home and brag about how awesome of a ninja he was because he had defeated an enemy ninja.

Naruto also hated how not even 2 years had gone by, and he still couldn't defeat Haku on his own. He had to rely on Riyu's help. Granted, Naruto thought, that if Riyu hadn't interrupted his plan, he could have probably taken Haku down.

Naruto sat on the wooden railing and slung his legs over the side. He gazed up at the crescent moon, his eyes with the touch of sadness. Naruto sighed as he continued to gaze up at the moon.

He lost track of how much time he spent looking up at the ever changing moon. There was a creak in the floorboards behind him that caused him to whip his head around in curiosity. Hinata stood in the doorway in light blue night shorts and a purple t-shirt. Her hand clutched her chest nervously as she continued to stare at her crush.

"N-Naruto-kun," She stuttered nervously, "I...I noticed that y-you weren't in your r-room, s-so I...umm...ano..."

Naruto blinked at her. "How would you know I left my room? I thought you were asleep," He said.

Hinata blushed as she desperately searched for the right answer. "I...I co-couldn't f-f-fall asleep, and I h-heard your door o-open and close." She hated herself for being so shy when it came to Naruto.

Naruto's expression remained the same. He nodded and turned his attention back to the moon. "So, what do you want anyway?" He asked blankly.

Hinata hesitated. She wanted to answer him that she wanted to be with him and comfort him. However, she was in no obligation to admit her feelings to him, especially since she was afraid of the answer. She quickly thought up an alternative answer. "Ano... I noticed at dinner t-that you seemed a l-little depressed. I... I wanted to know what was wrong."

Naruto didn't say a word for what seemed for an eternity. At first, Hinata was afraid she had said something wrong that upset Naruto. Naruto turned his head to the Hyuuga heiress, not with an angry face, but with a solemn face; a face that Hinata recognized all too well. Naruto was afraid of something.

Naruto gestured for Hinata to join him on the wooden railing. Hinata nodded and gracefully pulled her legs over the railing and sat herself down alongside her crush.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto began, still looking towards the moon. "It's not that I'm depressed. It's just that... I'm afraid of the future." He admitted.

Something seemed wrong to Hinata. Many people were afraid of the future. "I don't u-understand. W-why are you afraid o-of the future?" She asked.

Naruto lowered his head for a moment, then raised it to make eye contact with Hinata. "I've seen the future. You remember what I said back at the hospital, don't you?" He asked. Hinata nodded, and Naruto sighed. "It keeps me up at night. I toss and turn in my sleep, and when I can actually fall asleep I keep having nightmares about what I saw." Hinata remained silent. She didn't feel that she could add anything to that. "And everyone keeps telling me that I should forget about it, but they didn't see what I see..."

Hinata sympathized with her crush. She wanted to comfort him and, daring to be brave, placed her hand on top of Naruto's and looked up at him with compassion in her eyes. "I u-understand, Naruto-kun," She said. Naruto's eyes widened slightly, causing her to blush. "If you could j-just simply forget about it, t-then that w-would be strange. Y-you love the village and e-everyone in it. It m-makes sense that you wo-ould worry about i-it so much."

The words settled into Naruto's heart. A kind smile spread across his lips. Naruto leaned forward and gave Hinata an innocent hug.

Hinata went red as she stammered "N-N-N-N-N-N-Naruto-kun..."

"I'm glad you understand me. Thank you for cheering me up, Hinata-chan," He whispered into her hear.

Tears formed in Hinata's eyes. She had always longed for Naruto to say something like that to her.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the two teenaged ninja, a pink haired kunoichi stood silently at her window, watching the two. She scowled at the young heiress as she shut the blinds.

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The sun rose over the ocean as the sea breeze wafted through a sleeping town. The shinobi were up at 6:30, except for Riyu. He locked himself in his room and threw his pillow over his head. Sakura had to break down the door and convinced Riyu that it was in his best interest to get up and pack for the trip.

The shinobi ate a quick breakfast and left for the boat shack. Once there, Kakashi paid the mariner and they hopped on to their boat.

The boat itself was fairly large, but not big enough to say that they were rich. There were two rows, and each row had 4 seats. There were two rowers on either side of the boat. There was also a steerer in the back. The boat was made out of wood, but it had a red stripe going around the outside of it.

They crossed the sea and washed ashore in about half of an hour. Kakashi paid the men off and told them to return for them in 12 hours. They agreed ventured back to their island. The island that the ninja were on wasn't as large as the other. In fact, it was actually quite small. The beach made up most of the island. There was only a single large mountain with a round peak, and several small mountains surrounding it. There were palm trees at the base of the mountain, and crabs and starfish lay scattered on the beach.

Naruto and Kiba walked to the side of the island, where there was a steep drop to the water by the mountain, and peered down at the water. Kiba tossed a small rock into the water and watched as the ripples formed and hit the rock wall.

"How are we supposed to get all the way down there?" Kiba asked.

Kakashi called the boys over and gestured to Naruto. "Naruto here can summon frogs. Naruto will summon a frog or two and have them take us to the temple. It really is the simplest way," He explained.

Naruto told the others to stand back and waited for them to obey. Once they were back far enough, Naruto pricked his thumb and performed the hand seals. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" He yelled as he slammed his hand onto the ground.

Nothing happened.

Naruto had intended to summon Gama first, but something must have happened. Naruto stared down in disbelief, while the others just looked bemused. Only Riyu caught Naruto's shock, since he had seen Naruto perform this jutsu many times.

"What gives? Why didn't any frog show up?" Naruto asked.

"How strange..." Kakashi muttered to himself.

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Come on, can you really summon a frog Naruto?" He asked.

"Yeah, of course I can!" Naruto retorted.

"I've seen him summon frogs before. I know he can do it." Defended Riyu.

Sakura approached Naruto and examined his hand. "Then something went wrong. Are you sure you used enough blood?" She asked.

"Of course I used enough. You only have to offer a little bit!" Naruto protested dramatically.

Shino stepped up. "I did not see Naruto falter on the jutsu. Maybe you just need to try again," Suggested Shino.

Kakashi removed his headband to reveal his sharingan, deciding to discover if Naruto's jutsu was indeed faulty.

Once again, Naruto drew the blood from his already pricked thumb and performed the hand seals. Naruto slammed his palm on the ground and yelled the jutsu.

Again, nothing happened.

The team turned to Kakashi. "Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi sighed and placed his protector back over his eye. "Naruto didn't do anything wrong in his jutsu. It would seem that he cannot summon for some reason."

"Can you still summon your dogs?" Riyu asked.

Kakashi paused a moment. Could he? There was only one way to find out. He pricked his finger, did the seals, and attempted to summon his ninja dog Pakkun.

Nothing happened.

Kurenai looked expectantly at Kakashi. "Well?" She asked.

Kakashi looked up at her. "Nothing. I can't summon either."

"What in the world is going on here?" Kurenai asked, more to herself than her comrades.

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Two hours had passed, and they had still yet to find an entrance to the island. They scoured the island, searching for any kind of hidden mechanism. Sadly, nothing was found.

Naruto leaned against the mountain side with his arms folded across his chest, and Riyu sat next to him. Sakura lifted a boulder that was sitting on the side of the island, hoping to find a clue or a switch of some kind. However, all she found was a bunch of small insects. Sakura sighed angrily and dropped the boulder with a loud thud. She took out a cloth from her pouch and wiped the sweat off of her brow. She glanced around at her fellow shinobi, all working hard to find something that none of them knew anything about. However, when she spotted Naruto simply standing there doing nothing, Sakura felt a sudden rage take over her body.

How dare Naruto not work along with the others!? How dare he simply stand there like an idiot? These, and many other, questions raced around in Sakura's mind. Sakura narrowed her eyebrows and glared at the blonde shinobi. She wasn't just angry about his laziness, she was also angry at what she had seen last night. Jealousy consumed her as she marched purposefully towards Naruto.

Naruto didn't see her coming until she was right up in his face. Naruto looked up to her face to see a very angry kunoichi glaring daggers into his eyes. Naruto began to sweat nervously.

"What is is Sakura-chan?" He asked.

"Why aren't you helping look?" She demanded.

"Riyu and I were looking. We decided to take a break to think for a minute." He said, trying to defend himself.

"Damn it Naruto! Everyone else is busy thinking _and_ they are also looking around. You can do both at the same time!"

Naruto was in the mood where he was upset with himself because he couldn't find a way into the temple. He was about to snap at Sakura, which was something he had never actually done. In fact, he had snapped at Riyu a moment ago when he suggested a break. Riyu looked shocked, but Naruto apologized to his friend. Naruto didn't want to snap at another friend.

"Sakura...why can't you just let it go?" He asked.

This made Sakura even angrier. "Let it go? Let it go? How am I supposed to forget what I saw?" Sakura yelled. Her eyes widened for an instance. She had accidentally brought up last night.

"What did you see?" Naruto asked.

Sakura had to cover with a quick lie. "I saw two ignoramuses of ninja doing nothing, while everyone else is busy actually doing something useful!"

"Dammit Sakura, you don't have to be such a bitch." Naruto said coldly.

Sakura blinked a few times. "What did you call me?" She demanded.

"You heard me," Naruto answered. Sakura wasn't helping him in any way. If anything, she was making things worse.

"Why...you..." Sakura fumed.

"Sakura, you are being kinda bitchy," Said Riyu. His headache was coming back, and Sakura wasn't helping.

Sakura shifted her glare of hatred from Naruto to Riyu. "Riyu, I swear to God I will drop kick you all the way back to Konoha if you don't shut up." Ordered Sakura.

Riyu's eyes widened as he realized that, since it was coming from Sakura, this was actually possible. Riyu leapt to his feet and high tailed it down to the beach to start digging with Kiba.

"What did you do that for?" Demanded Naruto.

"He had no business stepping in," She said.

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean you have to take your anger out on him!"

"Naruto, so help me..."

"Stop being so heartless," Naruto said. He realized his mistake instantly.

He had hit a nerve. Sakura seemed to be on the verge of tears. "Sakura, I'm sorry. I-"

"Naruto!" She yelled and pulled back her right fist. She swung it at Naruto, who barely dodged and rolled away from the angry kunoichi. Her fist caught the mountain side, becoming embedded into it. It pushed in all the way to Sakura's shoulder.

That did it for the mountain. Cracks began spreading from the point of impact with incredible speed. Sakura and Naruto watched the cracks form in fear. Sakura struggled to pull her arm out of the hold of the mountain, but she was finally able to wiggle her arm out. At the moment her arm was free, the mountain began to rumble violently. That side of the mountain began collapsing on itself. Boulders came soaring down towards the Earth and at Sakura. Sakura was stuck by fear, her feet wouldn't budge an inch, except to tremble.

Naruto swore and leapt up. He quickly dove towards Sakura. He caught her and they tumbled away from the impending chunks of earth that were falling like rain. Naruto shielded Sakura's body with his own. small portions of rock pounded into Naruto's back, but Naruto withstood the pain for his friend.

Naruto heard his other friends calling out to him and Sakura. He wanted to yell back to let them know he was there and alive, but the falling rocks were a major distraction. After a few minutes, or what seemed like an eternity to Naruto and Sakura, The loud rumble of falling rocks ceased. Naruto lifted his head and opened his eyes to see massive boulders surrounding him, and an even larger one above his head. Dust poured through the rocks and blinded the ninja rushing to his and her's aid.

"Naruto!" Kakashi yelled. "Sakura, are you two there?!" He asked almost desperately.

"We're right here!" Naruto yelled. He waited to hear a respond, but no one responded.

"We need to start digging," Advised Kurenai. The others nodded and proceeded to search for Naruto and Sakura. Sakura blinked slowly, brushed the dirt out from her eyes, and looked around.

The ninja panned out along the rock and dirt, searching for their lost comrades. They uplifted rocks together in hopes of finding them. Kiba was reluctant to use his drilling techniques because he could end up crushing Naruto and Sakura.

Hinata was just too terrified of anything bad happening to Naruto to even consider the Byakugan. Her love for Naruto was blinding her. Hinata leapt up next to a large boulder and looked around.

"Naruto-kun!" Yelled Hinata. To Naruto, Hinata was the close.

Naruto and Sakura began pounding on the rocky wall. "Hinata-chan! Down here!" Naruto yelled.

Hinata heard the faint sounds of Naruto's yelling and beating. Her heart leapt as she activated her byakugan and saw Naruto and Sakura. "I've found them!" Called Hinata to the others.

When the others gathered, they commemorated her for her finding. It took Kiba only a matter of seconds to carefully dig the two ninja out. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as she climbed out of the hole. Naruto quickly followed.

When Kakashi asked for an explanation, Sakura was the one to explain how she had lost her temper. No one seemed too upset with her, which made Sakura a little less upset.

Riyu grinned from across Naruto. "I don't really care, anyway. As long as your both alive, then it's still-" At that moment, something extremely bright caught Riyu's eyes. "Son of a bitch! Damn it to hell!" He cried, squinting his eyes and swearing incessantly.

All eyes turned towards Riyu. "What are you doing Riyu?" Asked Kiba curiously.

Riyu had no verbal answer, he just pointed to behind Naruto's head. Everyone turned to the demolished side of the mountain. A large, golden, and apparently shiny, tablet lay embedded in the rock.

Kakashi leapt up carefully to it and pushed his chakra to his feet so as to allow him to stand on the wall. Naruto followed his mentor. Up close, the two shinobi noticed that the tablet had several strange symbols on it. The symbols were placed on the top, while a hand was carved into it underneath. Underneath the hand was the depiction of a long sea creature that resembled a dragon.

"What is it?" Yelled Kurenai.

"I'm not sure!" Kakashi called back. "It's some kind of ancient tablet. There's writing on it that I can't depict."

"Let me take a look!" Called Sakura. She leapt up gracefully to stand next to Kakashi. She looked the tablet over several times, but kept her main focus on the symbols. After several minutes, Sakura shook her head. "I'm sorry sensei, I have no idea what those symbols could mean."

Out of sheer curiosity, Sakura leaned forward and placed her hand upon the one on the tablet. She didn't really know why she did it. It was almost as if she was drawn to it for some reason. A spark shot from the tablet, catching Sakura's hand. She quickly withdrew it and looked it over, shaking in pain.

The island began to rumble once again. On the eastern shore, the water began to part. It began to form a hole, but as time passed the hole grew. Upon spotting the change in the water level, the ninja rushed quickly to the beach.

"What did you do this time, Naruto?" Kiba asked.

"I didn't do anything! Sakura's the one who touched the weird tablet thingy!" He called back.

As they reached the beach, the rumbling ceased. Covering the top of the hole was a large concrete floor.

"What's that thing?" Riyu asked.

"I'm not sure," Replied Kakashi.

All of a sudden, a large and powerful voice seemed to come from nowhere. "_Step onto the flooring, please do not tremble. Soon you will be at the door to the temple," _Said the voice.

The ninja stood stock still for a moment. "D...did the voice just rhyme?" Naruto asked.

"Do you think it spent all day on that rhyme?" Riyu asked.

"Enough you two. It seems as though we found a way into the temple. Let's not let it pass us by." Scolded Kakashi. The group nodded and got onto the flooring. It slowly descended, but the water stayed in place and served as a watery window.

Underneath the ocean were many different kinds of fish that Sakura was able to point out and name. The shinobi glanced around, some even running their fingers through the water wall. Naruto peered down at one point and nearly jumped in excitement.

Below was the temple in plain sight. Another 25 meters and they would be there. It was as a temple was expected to look. Many columns stood around it, many with moss covered tops, and a grande rooftop. Shingles of solid gold decorated this undersea temple. It was very large, but it was impossible to tell exactly how large.

However, it was also easy to tell it was extremely old as well. The walls and pillars were adorned with cracks and rust. The door was missing a knocker, and many tiles were missing, with some even cracked beyond recognition.

Kurenai breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally."

"Yes, but don't let your guard down," Advised Kakashi. "These temples are not to be taken lightly. Inside we may face incredibly strong enemies and deadly traps, but try not to lose faith."

Kurenai rolled her eyes playfully.

Suddenly, and without warning, the floor halted, jerking a few down to their knees.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked.

The voice came again. "_What is this that I do behold? There are more than they were told._"

The ninja glanced around nervously. "What the hell? That creepy voice is back," Riyu commented.

"Yeah, but where is it coming from?" Kiba asked.

In the distance, a small shadow could be seen growing rapidly. As the figure raced towards the ninja, they could make out scales and long, thick whiskers. When it halted, the ninja got a better look at it.

It was a very large, very long sea serpent. It almost resembled a dragon, with its long body and beautiful green scales that glittered under the water. Its massive dark eyes looked over the eight ninja gathered before it.

The ninja were just scared that it had come to eat them, but it seemed to just be sitting there, observing them like they were some kind of wild tiger.

Finally, it spoke, but it did not open its mouth. "_Who is the bearer of the map, which has awakened me from my long nap?_"

Riyu raised an eyebrow. "Weak," He muttered, but a death glare from Sakura forced him mute.

"So he's a telepath," Said Kakashi.

Naruto reluctantly raised his hand. "That's me," He said.

Both eyes of the sea serpent fell onto Naruto. "_Ah, so you are the ones my captors told me about, and it's quite easy to see that you are no lout. But something bothers me, yes it's true. Only 2 are allowed to pass on through._"

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

_"My child, only the bearer and the reciever are invited, all of the rest either leave or be smited._

No one liked the word smited. "What do you mean captors?" Riyu yelled.

"_Many a year ago, on a night so cold, my master rode me to destroy and I did what I was told. We attacked this temple, my master and I. And now I must atone for my crime by, protecting this temple and all of its rules, they did not want to allow any fools._" It said cheesily.

"Well, then I guess we just let Sakura and Naruto go on ahead and we just get the hell outta here," Riyu suggested, looking from his mentor to his friends.

Kakashi shook his head. "No. We go as a team, or we don't go at all. We've risked our lives to make it this far, and we won't quit now." Kakashi looked intently at the serpent. "I don't care if this is the guardian and the dragon from the stories. We all must get into the temple together."

Riyu blinked. "Are you sure? Because he's bigger than us and could probably eat us whole."

Kakashi ignored Riyu's groaning, never losing eye contact with the dragon.

"_So you choose to ignore my advice and my warning? So be it, for your families will soon be mourning. If you had obliged, your lives would have been spared. But now that you have angered me, there will be no encountered pain you can compare!"_

As it finished, it let out a mighty roar. The water, from the surface down, began collapsing upon them. They all glanced up and then at each other. "Everybody, pick a teammate and stick with them. Use your chakra to expand your lungs to hold your breathe longer, and, whatever you do, do not die." Kakashi ordered.

Shivers ran down the ninja's spines at the word die. Naruto turned to Hinata and gave her one of his reassuring smiles, but he couldn't stop the tears from forming in her frightened face. They followed Kakashi's orders as the water pounded down onto the small platform. The ninja dove into the water and tore off in pairs of two in different direction. The dragon glanced around slowly, a loud chuckle sending waves through the water. This would be the most fun it had in years. Its eyes began to turn red, as it picked its first target. It would leave the map bearer alive for now, but the target as of this moment was the one the bearer seemed most fond of. It tore off towards Hyuuga Hinata's direction.

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Dun-Dun-Dun! Yep, once again I leave you with a riveting cliff hanger. Review responses shall, in a twist of things, be posted on Youtube by yours truly soon. If you really want to blame someone, blame Bungie for the chapters delay. I love their game.

I know it was short, but at least I updated. It's not gonna happen again. I need to finish this story soon. At least I have some really good news. I have the release date for the next chapter! Wanna hear it? It will be the last thing on the chapter.

For those of you who have dial-up and can't get onto youtube, just let me know. I'll answer your review personally in a message. And to those of you reading The Konoha Dance, I'm sorry but this story comes first. It's not on hiatus or anything, it's actually halfway done. Just gotta get the last part out and get it beta tested.

Remember my gamer tag for the 360 is Riyuto san. Send me an invite, I'll accept it. My youtube account name it Vantage-Points studios.

Next Title: The Gatekeeper

Release Date: 3/21/08

Now a word from ANBU26: It is true that XBOX Live playing Halo 3 on the 360 is addictive. I say this because I am Riyuto-sans teammate online. If you want to make me a friend on online my gamer tag is PaNdAlAuNcHer30 and it is spelt just like that. Way to go Riyuto-san to finally update (now this is where I get up off my lazy ass and run like you have never seen an asian run. C ya next time guys, lol).


	22. Ch 21 The Gatekeeper

(A/N): You thought I had forgotten about Fusion? You thought I had given up? Guess again XD! I've just been swamped with chores, school, and I just got back from a weeklong vacation. No excuses, just reasons. After finishing an agonizing research paper, I decided to stop typing for a while, because I had developed a bad cramp in my left hand, which is my dominant hand. Sorry. I'll probably update again either tomorrow or the day after, depending on the time I have free. My parents monitor the community pool in my neighborhood, and I love to swim, so I'm either there or cleaning the house. Either way, I give you the newest (and nowhere near last) chapter of fusion. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Even after his long absence in the shadows, Riyuto-san has yet to discover a way to make the franchise of Naruto his, nor the illustrious Recon Armor in Halo 3. However, He owns the lives of Riyu and Zulku.

--

Chapter 21 The Gatekeeper

Tsunade took a sip of her tea as she reread the progress report sent by Asuma for the third time. The letter told her that, while everyone and everything were going right, an earthquake had ruptured through the village almost a week ago, uncovering a long dormant temple that was impossible to open. Clipped to the report were pictures of the recently excavated temple.

The Hokage sighed as she opened her drawer and placed the documents into the enclosed space. As she took another sip of her tea, she thought _'So there is another temple in Sunagakure, eh…? This would probably take about a week and a half to two weeks to arrive on foot from Team Kakashi's location. At this rate…'_ She closed her eyes in thought. After a few minutes of silence, an idea hit her.

She smirked with self-pride as she grabbed a sheet of paper and her favorite blue pen and set to work writing a letter to an old friend.  
--

Above the vast ocean, tranquility seemed to reign supreme. Seagulls flew in patterns along the shore, the sun was shining in the early morning hours, and from the village, many tour boats could be seen sailing through the waters.

However, below the surface of the water was a different story.

The telepathic, bloodthirsty serpent gave chase to the Hyuuga heiress. The red, scaly creature did not chase her at full speed; it would ruin the fun of toying with its food. It knew full well that she and the others would drown in a matter of minutes.

Being shinobi, they could hold their breathes longer than normal people, but that wasn't much longer at all. Naruto turned to see if he and Kakashi were being pursued. He sighed mentally when he saw he was not the target. He and Kakashi stopped and glanced around. Naruto's eyes widened when he caught sight of the serpent and his target. '_Hinata-Chan!_' he mentally cried. He turned to help, but Kakashi grabbed his leg and pulled him back. Naruto gave him an angry, questioning look. Kakashi pointed towards the temple doors and motioned for him to follow. Naruto took a look towards Hinata's direction and growled. '_I should have gone with her from the start.'_ He thought before reluctantly following Kakashi towards the temple.

When the water had first come down onto the ninja, they had in mind that they knew who they would pair with. But when the water poured onto them, they were so blinded that they picked the closest person and paired off with them. It was just Riyu's rotten luck he was paired with Hinata, Naruto's perfect match. '_I freaking hate Kakashi-sensei!'_ He cried.

He heard a chuckle. '_**Do not worry, you are next**_,' said the serpent. It picked up speed, deciding that he had humored his prey long enough. It had closed the gap to 3 meters when….

"Gatsuga!" Kiba cried as he and Akamaru crashed down onto the serpents head, forcing it to dive deeper than intended and end up miss its target.

Riyu and Hinata stopped swimming and turned to their dog friends. Riyu shot him a thumbs up, while Hinata mouthed a thank you. Kiba grinned and nodded before pointing up towards the surface, indicating the need for air. Riyu and Hinata nodded and swam diagonally towards the surface.

As they continued to race towards the surface, the serpent had completed a loop and shot up towards the ninja from the depths. The ninja looked down, widened their eyes, and pushed themselves even faster to reach the top. Kiba darted right, Hinata left, and only Riyu continued to go straight up. In the serpents blind rage, it continued straight up as well, targeting Riyu. Riyu was not a fast swimmer. In all honesty, he hated the water. He wasn't as fast as the others. Riyu was merely inches away from the surface when the serpent made contact.

Sakura swam to Kurenai and Shino, having been ditched by Kiba, and pointed towards Naruto and Kakashi, who were at the doors to the temple.

Kiba, Akamaru, and Hinata popped their heads above the water and greedily breathed in the air. Hinata glanced around. "W-where's Riyu?" She asked. Kiba shrugged. They heard a rumble and saw a large shadow form in between the two of them. They distanced themselves from it as far as possible before Riyu and the serpent shot out of the water. Riyu stood on the tip of its nose, greedily sucking in the air as he frantically looked down at the ancient serpent. He leapt into the air and turned to face his opponent. It roared with anger, '_**How dare you make a fool of me!?**_' as it continued to close the gap between it and its snack.

Riyu sped through a few hand seals and yelled "_Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu_!" Five fireballs shot from his mouth and collided into the serpents face. A massive amount of smoke filled the sky as Riyu scanned the area as he continued to fall through the air. The serpent shot through the smoke; the fireballs had no effect.

'_**I'm immortal you fool!**_' It sneered angrily as it opened its mouth wide to claim its prize. Riyu about shit a brick.

Meanwhile, Kiba and Hinata had submerged once again to help the others. As they made their way to the temple, they continuously stole glances back, hoping to see Riyu and/or the serpent.

Naruto and the others were busy attempting to pry the temple's left door open. It took the combined forces of Naruto, Kakashi, Kurenai, Shino, and Sakura to pry the door open an inch or two. Naruto felt a wave of relief pass through him at seeing Hinata alive and well. Relief turned 

to worry as he shot her a look that asked where Riyu was. Kiba and Hinata turned towards where they had just come from as they heard a loud splash.

Kurenai, Kakashi, Shino and Sakura pulled on the insanely large door once again, gaining another few inches. A small amount of water began to be sucked through the door, indicating air in the temple.

Riyu had little time to react. At the last possible second, he managed to arc his body to where the serpent's chin barely scraped his back. He gathered his breath as he curved his body and pushed off of the belly of the beast and shot down into the water. He didn't allow himself to look back as he pushed his body to its limits to make it to his friends.

By now, Kakashi and the others had managed to pry the door open enough for Kakashi to position himself in the doorway. He propped his feet up on the door and pushed. The door opened enough for the group to slide through one at a time, but it wasn't like they had a choice. The temple sucked them in like a vacuum. Riyu was the only one left before Kakashi would close the door.

The serpent tore through the water after spotting its prey once again. The time for games had ended; now was the time to kill. Riyu wanted to separate himself from water and the serpent for the rest of his life. He channeled his chakra to his arms and legs and shot towards the temple.

With the serpent closing in, Riyu managed to slip through the temple door going at full speed. Kakashi loosened his grip and allowed himself to be sucked into the temple as the door slammed shut. The serpent, who was going way to fast to stop, slammed face first into the ancient door with a heart stopping thud. The vibrations caused the pillars atop and around the temple to collapse down onto the serpent.

The ninja tumbled down through the temple's entrance on what was equivalent to a water slide. It was made up of flat, smooth rocks that had been worn away by the water that flowed on a regular basis. The "Waterslide" led to a fairly sized pool of water, already brimming to the limit of water.

The ninja tumbled down the "slide" and into the pool. Riyu and Kakashi were the last to arrive. The ninja bobbed their heads out of the water and greedily collected air. The room was filled with the noises of heavy breathing and coughing.

"Is everyone okay?" called Kurenai as she wiped her hair out of her eyes. There were faint responses muffled by heavy breathing.

The group swam to the edge of the pool and hoisted themselves out. As Naruto got out, he turned back to the pool and offered his hand to Hinata. She blushed and took his hand as he gently helped her out of the water.

"T-thank you Naruto-kun," She stuttered. Naruto grinned and told her that it was no problem.

Water clung to their clothes and hair as they attempted to dry off. Kiba pulled Akamaru out. He was amazed that the dog had managed to survive being underwater for so long in his condition.

Naruto removed his jacket, revealing a black shirt that clung to his muscular figure. Sakura and Hinata tried not to drool as they stared at him. Naruto rung his jacket and sighed. "Damn serpent had to ruin the day," He muttered. He shifted his gaze to Kakashi and pointed accusingly at the ninja and said. "Oy! Why the hell did you tell that freaking thing no?" He demanded.

Kakashi glanced up at Naruto and sighed. "Because it would have killed us regardless of our answer."

There was a silence in the room as all eyes fell on Kakashi. "Nani?"

"I saw bloodlust in its eyes. It might have let you and Sakura live because of your importance, but the rest of us would have been killed."

Naruto shuddered at the thought of watching his friends being devoured by the serpent. He would rather commit seppuku than have to watch that. He decided to alter his Kakashi hating decision into a thankful one. Then he suddenly remembered about the map and reached into his kunai pouch, praying to Kami that it wasn't ruined.

To his surprise, it was actually dry. Not even a hint of water on it. He took it to Kakashi and showed it to him.

"Hmm…Maybe the map creates a barrier that protects it from damage." He suggested. Naruto decided to go with it as he folded the map back up and placed it back into his pouch.

The group spent the next half hour trying to dry off and discussing the temple. The room they were in was clearly a waiting room. It was not grand, but was quaint. There were cracks running up and along the walls, and mold on the columns along the walls. There was a door on the other end of the room. As with the rest of the room, time had worn it down as well. There was a rough outline of a man kneeling down and praying on it.

The group, having caught their breathes and were as dry as they could be, proceeded to the next room. Suddenly, the temple shook violently, causing each ninja to frantically look around in their places.

There was a loud splash followed by a deafening roar. The shinobi turned around, eyes wide.

"You have to be kidding me," stated Sakura.

The serpent had risen from the pool of water, his long and scaly neck and sharp head pertruding from the bed of water. His red eyes flared threateningly and hungrily at the comrades. '_**Did you really think you were rid of me? I guard this temple you fools! I told you that only two may enter, and the rest must die. There is no compromise!**_'

Naruto took a step forward raising his fists. "Bring it on you overgrown inbred snake!" He yelled.

As if taking that as a cue from Naruto, the serpent leaned back, and thrust himself through the air and towards the group.

"Run!" Naruto yelled as they took off for the door halfway across the room.

"What the hell Naruto?!" Riyu yelled, "I thought you were the one who called him out!"

"I thought it would back down, since I'm the bearer of the map!" He called back.

"Baka! You made me and you a target." Scolded Sakura.

"Way to go genius!" Yelled Kiba.

When they reached the door, they found it to be locked, almost as if it was sealed. Naruto desperately pulled on the door handles, but to no avail.

'_**It's futile! You will all die for your intrusion and mockery! Even you, oh Bearer! Farewell!**_' Taunted the serpent. It closed the distance quickly, and the ninja decided to go down with a fight.

Naruto made a dozen shadow clones, Kiba and Akamaru dropped into their stance, Kakashi revealed his Sharingan and readied a Raikiri, and Shino summoned his insect army. Ten Naruto clones leapt up at the serpent, while one stayed back to help Naruto make a large Rasengan.

As expected, the clones were destroyed almost immediately in an enormous puff of smoke. The ninja lost sight of the serpent and a loud thud echoed through the room. The ninja cautiously stared at the smoke cloud as is began to dissipate.

A tall man stood in the center of the smoke. The man wore a white cloak with red flames at the bottom. He had spiky blond hair, a green ninja vest, and a Konoha hitae-ate. His hand was pressed firmly against the serpents nose, preventing it from coming any closer.

The man shook his head. "What am I gonna do with you Azal?" He asked.

The serpent Azal seemed frozen as the last of the smoke cleared. '_** P-please forgive me Namikaze-sama! I was simply following orders,**_' It cowered.

Kakashi gasped as his eyes widened. Sakura glanced up at her sensei. "Sensei, what is it? Do you know that man?"

Kakashi continued to stare, dumbfounded. "I…I can't believe it. It's…it's really Minato-sensei," he said.

The junior ninja had no idea who Minato was, but Kurenai gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Yondaime!?"

Naruto's eyes widened as he continued to stare at the man before him. '_It's him, The Yondaime! The man who sealed the Kyuubi inside of me!'_

Namikaze Minato shook his head. "No, you were about to devour the map bearer and his friends. You were told to keep the wrong people out, not the right people."

'_**But…but…they were the intruders. Only two in, remember?**_' Said Azal.

Minato sighed. "Yes, but it was not your job to cast judgement. That's my job. You are relieved." With that, he pushed the serpent back with extreme force, sending it into the pool to 

disappear beneath the waves once again. Minato turned to the group and offered them a warm, inviting smile. "Sorry about him. No one else can breathe underwater, so he was chosen to guard the outside."

He received many stares. Sakura spoke up. "I thought you were dead?"

Minato glanced down at her and grinned. "You thought correctly. I am dead. I'm you're guide through this temple, Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage at your service." He turned to Kakashi. "It really is good to see you again, Kakashi."

Kakashi grinned. "Likewise, sensei."

"I see you still wear that mask. Still afraid of the fan girls?" teased Minato.

An embarrassed blush crept to Kakashi's cheeks. "Hai, sensei."

Minato turned from Kakashi to Kurenai. "So who is this, your woman Kakashi?" He said, raising his eyebrows twice.

Kurenai blushed madly while Kakashi's grew as they turned away from Minato. "No, we're just friends." She said.

Minato grinned again. "Yeah, sure. I remember when Kushina-chan and I were just friends. Then we got married"

"You were married?" Naruto asked.

Minato's eyes immediately softened as they fell onto Naruto. He smiled at the young boy, but didn't understand why Naruto looked at him like he was a stranger.

"Yes Naruto, I was married." He answered. He then did what he had always wanted to do to his son. He ruffled his hair and winked at him. "Now let's get to the reason why you all are here, shall we?"

Minato led them through the door (which he explained could only be opened by him) and took them down a hallway that led to a wide room. As they walked down the hall, the ninja noticed that their clothes were becoming dry. Minato explained that the halls are enhanced with a special jutsu that can dry anything that is soaking wet as they approached the room. There was a large empty area in the center, surrounded by a medium sized wall, and glass windows on top of the walls. The walls went all the way around the arena, save for a single door that led to the arena. On the other side of the massive room was another door that led to an unknown location.

As soon as everyone had entered the room, Minato glanced at the group and smiled. "Okay, welcome to the first part of the test."

The ninja glanced around. "No offense, Yondaime Hokage-sama, but it's just a big empty room." Stated Sakura.

Minato nodded. "True, but this is an arena, not a room. A fighting arena to be more precise. You see, this would only be a test for the one the stone is destined for. However, since there is such a group, we kinda had to bend the rules."

Riyu didn't like the sound of this. Sure, he worshiped the ground Minato walked on, but that didn't mean he'd eat the dirt. "In what way?" He asked.

"Instead of him or her having to defeat the enemy to advance, out of the eight of you, at least seven must pass. That allows for only one failure. The loser, if there is one, will stay back with me until the time comes for you to leave the temple. This way, the entire group is allowed to pass."

"Sensei, what happens if two fail?" Kakashi asked.

Minato sighed. "Then I have to remove you from this temple without the stone. You will never be allowed a second try."

"That's a load of bullshit!" Naruto called. "So we go through all of those fights and lose two of 'em and we're out?"

Minato shrugged. "I agree, but what choice to we have. The Higher ups come up with the rules, I just relay them.

Naruto grumbled in defeat and turned to the arena. "I wanna go first!" He stated.

Minato raised his eyebrow. "Nani?" He asked.

"I want to fight first. I want to see what kind of kick ass enemy you have, because I can't wait to thrash him," Naruto said, slamming his fist into his palm.

Minato smiled and turned to Kakashi. "He always like this?"

"Every minute of every day," Kakashi answered.

Minato turned back to a determined Naruto. "Okay, but I must warn you that the stronger you are, the stronger your opponent will be."

Naruto smirked. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Minato led Naruto to the door.

As Naruto stepped through the door, a shockwave shot through his body for a brief second. He shook his head and continued through the door. He stood in the center of the arena for a few moments, glancing around. He turned to Minato and the others, who were watching him from behind the glass.

"There's no one here!" He called.

Minato grinned and pointed to behind Naruto.

Naruto turned to see a dark sphere of smoke hovering ten feet away from him. It slowly began to take on the shape of a human. Naruto's eyes widened as he watched the black sphere transform into an almost perfect clone of himself, minus the whisker marks.

The others were baffled by this process. "Sensei, what happened? Why are there two Narutos?" Kakashi asked.

Minato grinned. "That's what this test is about." He said, loud enough for even Naruto to hear. "You must find a way to defeat yourself. Keep in mind that your double is completely the opposite of you. He is basically your dark side."

Naruto turned back to his counterpart and looked him over. The other Naruto grinned a Naruto grin. "Hello, my name is Raruto."

Naruto turned back to the 4th. "He doesn't seem evil!" He called.

"That's only because the match hasn't started yet."

Naruto growled impatiently. "Then let's get it started already!" He called.

"Okay, here are the rules. You either kill him, he kills you, or you forfeit. Understand?"

"Perfectly, now please start the match!"

Minato grinned. "Begin!" He shouted.

Raruto's warm grin faded into an evil smirk. Naruto tensed, and that was all Raruto needed to deliver his elbow into Naruto's stomach, sending the blond teen into the wall.

"Naruto-kun!" Cried Hinata. Minato glanced down at her and grinned.

Naruto pushed himself to his feet and smirked as if nothing had happened. "Not bad for a fake." He said. Naruto dropped into a fighting pose which Raruto mimicked perfectly. Hinata sighed in relief to see that Naruto was okay.

"Hmph." Raruto said.

They stared each other down. As if a whistle blew, the two leapt at each other in a similar fashion.

Minato folded his arms across his chest and continued to watch the fight with a great interest. '_Make me proud, my son.'_

_--_

Why end it there? Because I've been typing for 3 hours and I'm tired. I know it ends in a sucky way, but you all should know by know how well I do with fights. Might take me a little while, because I have to actually write it all down and plan it out well, or else you get a crappy little fight that makes Dragon Wars a great movie. Me and my GF also split. She said I ignored her, which I didn't get at all… I don't ignore people, right?

Anyway, 2 things have really angered me to the point that I had to share with you, my loyal fans. 1) I was on Xbox live the other day, and came across someone named Riyuto…He called me thecopy cat. I've had this name and have used it for about 4 years now, so I am the trend setter. I told myself that this little bastard had to go.

2) I recently read a story called "Reset" and it was actually good… until the end. I hated the freaking ending so much, I told myself that I was gonna write a story like it, but not steal any of his ideas. Here's the summary. It will involve Naruto adopting a young girl with a demon in her. She will be four years old, and it will be a Naruto/Hinata story. I've never wanted to flame someone else before, and then I read that story…

I'm being really nice right now, and since I can't lure you all back her with the cookie on a string, I'm gonna do something for those of you who review. I will give you an excerpt from book 3 that you will enjoy very much. I will send it to you in a private message. If you don't own a fan fiction account, simply leave me your email address and I will get it to you. It's really good and contains a fluffy spoiler. It won't ruin the story, but it will be good.

Preview for Chapter 22: Yin and Yang.

As Naruto confronts Raruto, his dark side, he seems to be losing his resolve to fight. Will Naruto lose in the very beginning? And when Kiba steps into the ring, how will he fare against his own demon when his partner is still injured? Hinata cowers when her dark side threatens to reveal her deepest secret to the one she loves.

That will be at least twice as long as this chapter, if not 3 times.

Until next time

5 reviews for next update.

P.S. Rasenganfin, I stayed up really late for this chapter cuz u said it would be cool. I haven't really been on the fanfic community for a while, but now I'm back baby. Just give me a while for the other chapters, it's not as easy as it looks.


	23. Ch 22 Yin and Yang

Hello peoples, I'm back. The long absence was partially due to: Senior Project, Xbox live, school work, sleep, eating, and my Trigonometry class. You ever take trig before? Don't! It is the biggest waste of time, and eventually you start using imaginary binomials…yeah, imaginary…f***ing trig. Hard as hell, though.

Christmas came and went, and I meant to update this story on Christmas Eve as a Christmas present, but I became incredibly sick on the 22nd and 23rd. I was conscious for about 8 hours total.

And to those of you whom I promised an excerpt from the third story, rest assured you shall get it, probably shortly after this chapter hits fan fiction. Just gotta figure out how I'm gonna get it to you.

**Disclaimer:** Despite the long absence, Riyuto-san still owns Riyu and Zulku, but not Naruto.

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"Gaah!" Naruto cried as he was sent hurtling against the wall yet again by Raruto. Naruto slammed into it with great force, sending cracks up the wall and across the ceiling.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata cried, eyes wide.

"Is that all you can do, 'Naruto-kun'?" Asked Raruto, a smug look plastered across his face. "Because, if it is, I'm sorry to say that you will not be able to proceed with the others."

"Damn…it," Swore Naruto, pulling himself up to his feet. He raised his head and glared daggers at his enemy. '_Okay, so direct attacks are useless, and it looks like he can read my moves somehow. I have to get around that."_

"Is that all you can do? Stare your enemy down and talk big?"

"Shut up!" Barked a furious Naruto. He summoned 4 shadow clones; 3 rushed Raruto while 2 hung back with Naruto to help him perform the Oodama Rasengan.

Raruto sighed. "You fail to comprehend this, my friend." He began as he sidestepped one clone and stabbed it in the heart with a hidden kunai. "I am your exact counterpart. Everything about us is the same; Our personalities, our faces, even our memories. However, there is one thing that makes me superior to you." He connected his fist to another clones chin, smashing the jaw and dispelling it instantly. "Except for one key difference. One flaw is dropped, and for you, that means," One clone attempted to attack, but Raruto crouched and spun in place. He grasped hold of the clones leg and, with great ease, hoisted it into the air and, spinning once again, chucked it at Naruto, "I'm stronger than you!"

The clone collided with Naruto and his clones, half-way through with the Oodama Rasengan. Nartuo fell back once again, but with not as much force. He easily pushed himself up to his feet and glanced around for his enemy. He saw nothing.

"Looking for me?" He heard from behind. Naruto quickly spun around, fist raised in the air, and threw a punch at the owner of the voice. Raruto caught it with his hand, and held it suspended in the air. "Well, I suppose that we both have an advantage. I'm stronger than you, and you have the ky-"

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled, pushing harder against his counterpart, pushing him back a ways. Raruto wore a partially shocked look as Naruto's darted towards his friends briefly before coming back to Raruto.

"What, you don't want your friends to know about your little secret?" Naruto started growling. "Are you afraid of how they would react to knowing? Raruto asked mockingly.

"I said SHUT UP!" Naruto yelled, quickly pulling his fist back and, catching Raruto off-guard, swiftly throwing it forward. The fist connected with the side of Raruto's face, sending him tumbling back a few feet.

Naruto's breath was heavy with anger and fear. "Damn him."

Raruto rose to his feet with seemingly no effort, a bruise on his face where Naruto's fist had connected. "That was a good hit. I will admit, you caught me off guard. That won't happen again." As he finished, he dropped into one of Naruto's battle poses. "Are you relying on _it_ again?"

Naruto's eyes widened, and that's when Raruto made his move. He vanished from Naruto's field of vision and dropped out of the air, connecting the heel of his foot to the top of Naruto's head.

"That's just like Naruto's renden!" Riyu exclaimed from the sidelines.

"Yes…but it seems as if it's more advanced," Responded Kakashi, his hand resting on his chin.

Raruto wasn't done yet. As Naruto fell to the ground, Raruto seemed to teleport to underneath Naruto and delivered a hard kick to Naruto's chin, sending him into the air. Raruto leapt up into the air and delivered a kick into Naruto's ribs.

Or rather, he would have. Naruto took the momentary advantage and caught Raruto's kick, twisting his ankle and swinging him towards the ground. Raruto landed on his hands, tucked, and rolled into a smooth landing. Naruto simply landed on his feet.

His vision was blurry, but it was slowly getting better. He saw Raruto crouched down, holding his left foot. He saw him twist it, and heard a sickening cracking noise. Raruto rose to his feet, his smirk back onto his face.

"I see you're full of surprises. Did you like _my_ little surprise. I simply took your attack to the next level. I haven't named it yet, but it doesn't need a name to kill."

The two of them found themselves in a staring contest. Naruto's scowl refused to budge, complimentary to Raruto's mocking smile.

"So I see you aren't going to use it?" Asked Raruto. Hearing Naruto's reply of silence, Raruto continued. "Are you afraid of losing control and devastating this place?" He glanced over towards the crowd of people. "Or are you afraid of _them_ finding out?" Again, Naruto said nothing. Raruto sighed. "You know, you're beginning to bore me. I was excited about getting to fight myself, but now I realize that the real me isn't good enough to beat a copy."

Naruto's eye twitched, and he rushed his enemy once again, blinded by anger.

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"_Oh, Minato, isn't he just adorable?" Kushina asked, cradling the newborn Naruto in her arms, holding him close to her bosom, as if he could vanish at any moment._

_Minato's warm smile fell upon his wife and son. She had given birth not half an hour ago, and she showed no signs of being deprived of sleep or energy. He leaned over and gave his wife a loving kiss. "He looks beautiful, koishi." He said after the kiss._

_She smiled warmly and looked down at her child. "Naruto."_

"_Hmm?"_

"_Naruto. I want to call him Naruto."_

"_Why?"_

"_Don't you remember? When Jiraiya-sama and Koji-kun came over to visit us that one day, we decided to name him Naruto after the character in Jiraiya's book."_

_Minato playfully dropped his head into a thoughtful pose. "Hmm…Are you sure?"_

"_Minato!"_

"_Oh yes, I remember now. Sorry koishi, you know I have a terrible memory." He said with a grin._

_She smiled at his smile. "Yes, well, let's hope that Naruto doesn't inherit your memory."_

_Minato chuckled and kissed his wife's forehead, and then Naruto's. "Namikaze Naruto, I like that name."_

_She smiled up at him. "I love you."_

_He smiled down at her. "I love you too."_

_He shared another kiss with her. Naruto decided to let his presence be known and began crying. Kushina attempted to coo her child into relaxing while Minato continued to watch, happily content._

_That was when it all happened._

_The ground began to shake, lights started flickering, and rumbling could be heard in the distance. Naruto immediately began crying louder, while Kushina looked at her husband worriedly._

"_Yondaime-sama! Yondaime-sama!" Cried a voice from outside the door. _

_Minato quickly opened the door to Zulku standing outside the door. "What is it Zulku?"_

"_Sir, the Kyuubi is attacking the village as we speak. We need your help!"_

_Minato's eyes widened. He slowly turned to his wife, who bore a similar expression while his newborn son continued to cry. He turned back to Zulku with a serious face. "Let's go."_

That was the last time Minato had ever seen his wife. He died one hour later from using the scroll to bind the Kyuubi into Naruto. He had died hoping for the best, that Kushina would raise Naruto, and that Naruto would understand his sacrifice and live his life. And as he stood, watching his son battle himself, he felt pride well up inside of him. His son had managed to learn the attack that had taken him years to create. He wanted to know so much about his son.

He casually walked up to Kakakshi and tapped his shoulder. Kakashi nonchalantly turned his attention to the Yondaime. "What is is Minato-sensei?"

"I would like to speak with you," He said.

"Of course, Minato-sensei."

Riyu glanced up at his sensei and hero briefly. While, he would admit, it was insanely awesome that his teacher and his idol were mere feet away from him, he wanted to focus on his friend's battle at the moment. He turned his attention back to watch just as Naruto managed to uppercut Raruto's chin, sending him into the air.

Raruto caught himself gracefully in the air, managing to come down perfectly on one foot. His smirk grew. "I knew you had fight in you Naruto."

Naruto spat blood to the side of the battlefield. "What are you talking about?" '_Damn it, he keeps toying with me, and it's really starting to piss me off. I mean, he kinda looks like me, he talks like me, and he even fights like me. Well, almost like me. He keeps taunting me, and I keep attacking._' Naruto remembered the warning Minato had given him, how the clone was a perfect copy with one dropped flaw. The gears in the dark reaches of his mind labeled "in case of emergency" began to turn. His eyes widened with a plan. He formed the kage bunshin seal. Raruto grunted knowingly. "I'm just getting warmed up! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" A baker's dozen Naruto appeared alongside him, ready to fight. "Alright guys, show no mercy!"

"Hai!" The cried as one, leaping towards their quarry, hands filled with weapons.

Raruto smirked. He caught one clones wrist, twisted it and threw it up into the air, slamming it into another Naruto, dispelling both. Raruto's eyes flickered to the left before backflipping, narrowly avoiding 2 Naruto's from the side as they slammed into each other. He pivoted on his hand and swung his leg down onto another rushing Naruto's head. He brought his legs down and leapt up into the air. The remaining clones followed in hot pursuit.

Focusing his chakra into his hands, he clutched the ceiling with his palms and proceeded to spin in place, taking out several clones in the process. _'This is way too easy,'_ He thought. His mind began racing then, subconsciously dealing with the other clones as he allowed himself to drop down. _'I seriously doubt Naruto would send clone after clone at me blindly. He may be stupid, but his battle knowledge is something I have too. He's up to something.'_

He unsheathed a kunai and spun around, taking out 3 clones, blinding his peripherals with smoke. Fearing an enemy strike, and that this was Naruto's plan, he leapt out of the smoke and landed firmly on the wall. _'Okay, that was 14 clones, so…wait…14!? He only made 13 clones!'_ He realized, for the first time, that Naruto had managed to outmaneuver him.

"Where did he go?" Questioned Sakura.

"I'm…not sure," Riyu responded, searching around the room for his friend. "I'm not even sure what he did."

"He used the art of trivial distraction," Came the calm voice of Shino, who was standing to the right of Hinata.

"Trvial distraction?" Asked Sakura as her and Riyu's eyes fell onto him.

"Yes, it is a method of using one strategy to fool another into taking into account that you are attempting to use a different strategy to catch ones enemies in a surprise attack."

Sakura, Riyu, and even Hinata, stared at Shino as if he spoke an alien language. "In Japanese, Shino." Kiba stated from Shino's right.

Shino sighed at no one understanding his meaning. " Naruto made it appear he was preparing an attack, but instead he chose to hide himself amongst the clones."

Sakura pressed herself against the rail. "Oh, I see. So Naruto just gave himself the ultimate smokescreen."

"Well, in a sense. It all depends on how well he can hide himself."

Riyu and Sakura nodded as they returned their attentions back to the fight.

Riyu tilted his head.

'_How the hell is that trivial?_'

Raruto's eyes flickered across the room. "What's this? Are you too afraid to come out and face me, you chicken-shit?" '_Damn-it! I can't tell where he is, and I can't even tell if he's just trying to buy time or hide. I cannot underestimate Naruto, that's how people get killed.'_ He took another look at his surroundings. Something did not belong, he knew that. The only problem he faced was that he didn't know what didn't belong.

From his hiding place, Naruto smirked. Phase 1 was now complete.

Phase 2 was going to be a problem.

Raruto growled. "Well?" He called.

"Well what?" Echoed the voice of Naruto throughout the room.

'_Damn it.'_ "Where the hell are you, you little chicken shit?" Spoke Raruto as his eyes scanned the room. He leapt off of the wall and landed in the center of the arena.

After a moment, the voice came again. "What, not so much fun being the one being hunted? You forget who you're dealing with!"

"No, I know exactly who I'm dealing with. A whiney kid who cried every time he failed an adoption interview, a brat who never shuts up and gets on everyone's nerves, and some kid who thinks that he has what it takes to become a Hokage." Raruto spat spitefully, speaking from knowledge.

The sound of silence filled the room. Sakura and Hinata looked sadly towards Riyu, as if in search of an answer. He met their gazes, but turned away sharply to avoid them.

"Aww, did I hurt your feelings?" Mocked Raruto, as if he were speaking to a baby.

"You want an answer?" Came a reply.

Raruto looked around the room for the source once again. Suddenly, an arm shot out of the ground and latched onto Raruto's leg, quickly followed by another arm. As Raruto attempted to grasp the situation and wriggle his way free, a Naruto dropped from the ceiling and captured him in a Full Nelson, as if he were trying to squeeze the life out of him. Raruto struggled but could not break away from the trap he was caught in. He was caught being careless.

The real Naruto dropped from the shadows of the ceiling and, as his foot caught the floor, dashed towards his copy, a fresh and deadly Rasengan in the palm of his hand. "Here's my answer! Rasengan!" He cried. Naruto drew his arm back and released, thrusting the Rasengan into his gut. Raruto's eyes widened in shock, he yelled in pain, and Naruto smirked in triumph.

Suddenly, Raruto smirked. The Rasengan exploded and smoke covered the arena once again.

"What the hell?" Cried Riyu.

"I didn't know Naruto's Rasengan could do that!" Kiba said.

"It can't," Stated Riyu.

"Naruto-kun," Whispered Hinata. Her hands went to her chest in an effort to quiet her beating heart.

After a few moments, the smoke screen began clearing up. At first, the spectators could make out two figures. One being held up by the scruff of his collar by another. As it cleared even more, it was clear that Raruto was holding an injured Naruto, the ever present mocking-grin on his face.

"So much for your plan. You forget that I am you, you idiot. I was expecting an ambush when I leapt down. I had a shadow clone ready to appear as soon as you made your move, and I even turned it into a chakra bomb. You remember when we did that to that demon in the other temple, right?" Without waiting for an answer, Raruto tossed Naruto into the air, leapt into the air, and delivered a kick into his ribs, sending him across the room with a painful yell. "No much fun to have your own Rasengan backfire on you, is it?"

Naruto bounced across the floor like a rag doll until skidding to a stop halfway across the arena. Naruto forced himself up, pushing himself with his willpower. The clothing on his right shoulder had gaping tears in it, and his face had blood leaking from his mouth and forehead. He lifted his head to meet Raruto's gaze with anger. '_Just a little longer_.'

Raruto casually strode towards Naruto. "Come on, you and I both know this this fight is far from over."

Naruto rushed Raruto, fist poised for combat. It took a fraction of a second to reach his opponent. Releasing his drawn fist, Naruto swung a punch at Raruto's face. Raruto skillfully caught the fist and attempted to flip Naruto up into the air. However, Naruto, reacting quickly, pulled himself and his weight down, acting as a counter-balance against Raruto. Naruto swung his leg and swept Raruto off of his feet. Raruto caught himself and, releasing his hold on Naruto, managed to back roll to his feet before leaping into the air.

Naruto followed, kicking himself into the air, and engaged Raruto in aerial combat. Naruto swung at Raruto, who managed to dodge with several graceful maneuvers. Raruto leaned forward after dodging one of Naruto's attacks and slammed his powerful knee into Naruto's gut. The blow was extremely effective, forcing Naruto to drop his head and widen his eyes with pain. Raruto raised his arms above his head, interlocked his fists, and struck the back of Naruto's head with tremendous force.

Naruto shot like a bullet towards the ground, striking it with a loud, sickening bang. A copious amount of dust covered the crash site. Raruto landed across the arena, stood for a moment. He watched the dust cloud intently. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he rushed into the smokescreen. The fight continued, but it could not be seen, only heard.

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"Minato-sensei, what is it you want to talk about?" Asked Kakashi during the fight in the blinding smoke.

"Tell me," Minato answered, arms folded across his chest and a serious look on his face as he watched the dust cloud intently. "How is Naruto?"

"Hmm?"

"Naruto. How has he been, these last fourteen years?"

Kakashi paused for a moment, allowing the appropriate words to form in his head before venturing out from his mouth. "He's an amazing kid, to say the least. He always grins his goofy grin, he's a loved and obnoxious idiot, he's a klutz, but he never gives up on his goals."

Minato smiled. "What about his life? How has it gone for him?"

"…Naruto…well, he…Naruto grew up, almost all alone."

Minato's smile quickly morphed into a questioning frown, his eyebrow arched as he turned to his former student. "Almost alone?"

"Hai, sensei. He befriended Uzuka Riyu when he was four years old, his only friend for years."

A puzzled, yet concerned look spread across Minato's face. "Uzuka?" His gaze shifted towards Riyu. He could tell who it was; it was the only person there wearing the Uzuka treasure. "Uzuka….Riyu."

"Please, don't worry. He's more like his father. He has nothing to do with the clan, nor does he know anything about it."

Minato grinned at a memory. "I remember Koji well. He showed me how to do the firefist once. Couldn't do it at first, but I practiced until I could do it, and it turned out to be better than his attack." He chuckled. "How is Koji?" Kakashi gave Minato a puzzled look. "Koji and Dana. How are they doing?"

"I'm afraid I have no idea, sensei. The last time I inquired about them, Zulku-sempai informed me that they had be-"

"Zulku?" Questioned the former Hokage. "I forgot all about him." He sighed, running his hand through his spiky hair as he glanced at Kakashi. "You said that Naruto grew up almost alone, right?

Kakashi nodded. "Hai, the village shunned him because of the Kyuubi."

Minato slammed his fist into his open palm. "That bastard." He growled.

"Sensei?"

"I entrusted Naruto to him before I died. I gave him explicit instructions, and he…he…" Minato's anger was on the rise. "How dare he disrespect a Kage's child like that."

Kakashi did not understand what Minato had said at first. He thought on it for a moment. Suddenly, the meaning came to him. "A Kage's son? You mean…Naruto?" He asked, dumbstruck.

Minato looked at Kakashi as if this were common knowledge. "What, you didn't know."

"With all due respect, sir, no one knew that Naruto was your son. I mean, I knew that you and your wife were expecting. I asked Zulku-sempai what had befallen your child after I had learned of your death and your wife's delivery. He told me that the child had died, and that the baby he was carrying was an orphan that you had used to seal the Kyuubi." He paused and allowed the new information to sink in to his former mentor. He chuckled. "I still can't believe it."

Minato sighed. "I still don't understand why Zulku would betray me and lie to the entire village." He paused when he saw Naruto shoot out of the smoke cloud. "Well, that explains why he didn't seem to know me when he first saw me."

They paused their conversation when they saw Raruto shoot out of the smoke in chase and attacked Naruto. The two boys exchanged blows before slamming into the rock wall.

"Ne, Kakashi."

"Hai?"

"What…what ever happened to…Kushina?"

"…." Kakashi had no answer.

"I see so much of her in him. I saw her eyes the moment I saw him, and I saw her smile when he smiled at the young Hyuuga girl. The smile she had reserved for me." He paused. "I need to know what happened."

"It's…a mystery, sensei. She vanished from the village shortly after you died. She was heartbroken, she had believed she had lost everything, her husband and her son, and she went mute. She said nothing for days. Then, all of a sudden, she vanished. No one could find her, and no one has heard from her since."

Minato sighed again. "Well, seems like things are getting complicated." Kakashi offered a faint chuckle.

"Kakashi, can you do me a favor?"

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Damn it!" Cried Naruto as he struggled to break free of the grip Raruto had on his shoulders. Raruto spun in the air and, once enough momentum was composed, slung Naruto down towards the ground. However, Naruto caught Raruto's collar before release and managed to throw him down instead, catching himself in mid air.

Raruto hit the ground hard. He recovered quickly, however, without any signs of extreme fatigue. His breathe was rushed, but he had no need to gasp for oxygen. He sprang to his feet and, without any hesitation, launched himself at Naruto. Naruto had little time to react. All he could think to do was brace for impact. He quickly crossed his arms defensively across his chest and lowered his head. '_Just a little bit more!'_

Raruto uppercut Naruto's protected chest, breaking through his defense and catching his jaw. Naruto grunted in pain as Raruto launched him into the ceiling. Raruto then unleashed a series of aerial attacks onto Naruto, driving him deeper and deeper into the ceiling and leaving him with no chance to defend. Finally, Raruto relented in his barrage of attacks and gracefully fell down to the floor.

Naruto slowly sank out of the ceiling. Raruto checked his footing amongst the rubble and glanced up. Naruto fell from the ceiling, limp, and slammed into the ground.

Raruto crouched down next to Naruto, drenched in sweat from head to toe.

"Have you had enough yet?" He asked.

Naruto responded, and tried to push himself up quickly, but Raruto was faster. He kicked Naruto's chin violently, slamming Naruto into a wall, violently coughing up blood from his mouth.

"Naruto-kun!" Cried Hinata, her hands shooting to cover her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Raruto turned to look at Hinata. Guilt and sorrow struck his face. "I'm sorry. Please don't cry, Hinata-chan. I won't kill him." He turned back to Naruto and leaned in closer. "You know, as soon as you give up, it will all be over."

Naruto staggered against the wall. '_Now is the time.'_ He smirked. "I…I never give up. No matter…what."

Raruto sighed. "I knew you would say that." He drew back his hand in preparation for his attack.

"Just so you know," Came Naruto's surprisingly egotistical remark, catching Raruto off guard and causing him to look at Naruto in a state of confusion. "I'm going to be the one to end the fight."

Raruto sneered. "Good luck with that." With that, he slammed his fist into Naruto's lower gut, Naruto ignored the pain and smirked. "What?" Questioned Raruto.

"You are a major dumb ass." With that, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The clone was dispelled.

Raruto staggered back. "What the hell?!" He cried, violently jerking his head in all directions.

"Hmph!" Said Shino from the sidelines. "Genius."

"Eh?" Asked Riyu. "I don't understand what's going on."

Kurenai spoke up. "He used his clone to distract Raruto while he prepared for his final attack."

"And this has left Raruto tactless and confused."

"I still don't get it," Stated Riyu. "Why didn't Raruto know that Naruto would do this. I mean, since he is Naruto."

"Ano…" came the quiet voice of Hinata, a happy smile on her face. "It's because…he's not Naruto-kun."

Naruto launched his attack. Dropping from the ceiling with his infamous battle cry and Rasengan in hand, Raruto couldn't help but look up, a quick smirk of triumph appeared on his face. "Don't cry out loud during a sneak attack, you idiot!" He called. He leapt up in the air and formed a Rasengan in his hand. He mimicked Naruto's cry, and the two Rasengan's clashed. A brilliant, blinding light emitted from the two merging spheres, each giving off a different color; blue and black. However, as both boys struggled for control of the mid air duel, Raruto was gaining the advantage. Forcing his way up, he seemed to be gaining control.

Naruto smirked. Chakra flowed around him like a current. Red chakra. Kyuubi's chakra.

"Nani!" Cried Raruto. His control shifted, his mind a jumble of questions. Why was he using the Kyuubi chakra when he knew Naruto wouldn't in front of his friends. What was he thinking? Was he that desperate to win? These thoughts and more perplexed the young duplicate.

Naruto pushed even harder, forcing Raruto's feet to the ground. This gave Raruto a push, allowing him to press Naruto back. The two remained locked in this stalemate of Rasengan. All of a sudden, Raruto seemed to gain the upper hand, forcing Naruto back a little.

"You keep coming up with these pathetic strategies, and they don't work!" Raruto cried madly. "And do you know why they don't work? Because I know every strategy in your arsenal. You can't win!"

"That's good!" Hollared Naruto. Raruto's expression went from mad to clueless. "Because I'm not the one that has to beat you!"

All of a sudden, Raruto was engulfed in smoke as the Naruto bunshin disappeared in a puff, leaving Raruto completely and utterly, defenseless.

Naruto shot from his hiding spot on the wall, covered in bruises from his injured forehead to the tears on his pants. With an Oodama Rasengan in his hand, Raruto had no time to react to the blond bull that charged at him. "The one you have to worry about is me!" He shouted.

There was nothing Raruto could do. Caught off guard the way he was, there was nothing he could do. Not a damn thing he could do. All of the thoughts of victory were now delusions of grandeur. He had no choice but to accept defeat as the Rasengan made him all but blind, the only thing he could see was the enormous ball of energy, then everything went black.

Naruto closed the distance between the two fighters in an instant, and struck Raruto in the chest with the full force of his attack.

The massive Rasengan struck hard. It devoured Raruto as if he were the last cupcake at the desert table. The energy sphere exploded in a blinding white light. Naruto was sent flying sloppily against the wall, hitting it hard.

"What…what the hell happened?" Questioned Kiba.

"I'm…not…exactly sure." Replied Shino.

Minato waited for the smoke to clear to see Raruto's body lying on the floor. His eyes swept the battlefield. An awkward silence echoed throughout the arena. Without word, the Yondaime made his way through the arch to Raruto's body. He knelt down and confirmed his thoughts; He was dead.

He turned towards Naruto to see him standing up fully, a goofy smile plastered on his face. "So, did I win?" He asked.

Minato nodded.

"Yes! Wahoo!" He cheered, jumping into the air and pumping his fist. He took off, ran through the arch, and met up with his companions. "Did you guys see that?" He asked excitedly.

"…Kinda," Commented Sakura.

"We saw you beat his ass," Riyu explained. "But we don't know how you did it."

"Did what?" He asked.

"Your deception." Shino said.

"Oh that," Naruto said, his eyes lighting up. "Okay, so I realized that he was me. But he didn't fight like me. He was fighting with a plan, but he was fumbling with it, I could tell. Then it hit me; Since it was the first time that he had fought that way, since I don't, he wasn't able to handle the pressure of making a plan that way. It was a new concept that he couldn't grasp. I don't know why, but he couldn't. Then I figured out I could mess with him, you know. Get him angry, and force him to blindly attack.

"So I went into hiding when he destroyed all the clones. I disappeared when he hit me and waited in the shadows. I wanted to test my theory. So I started messing with him, and he got all pissed off. Before I made my move, I stored a shadow clone by the wall and one on the ceiling. The one on the wall was gathering chakra to help me make an Oodama Rasengan, and the other one was for later. So I went and bought time. Then I made him think I was a shadow clone, and hid behind one of those tarps when he hit me. He heard my clones battle cry, and jumped at him.

"Then I came out of hiding, made my clone transform, and boom. Instant kill!" Finished the orange ninja.

Everyone stared blankly at the blonde (save for Hinata, who was looking onto him with admiration and love).

"How…the hell…did you come up with a strategy like that?" Kiba asked.

"I know, I've never known you to actually use your head Naruto," Joked Riyu, slinging his arm around Naruto's shoulders. He peeked inside of Naruto's ear. "I think I can see the cobwebs being ground up by the gears."

Naruto pushed Riyu off with a chuckle. "Shut up," He said. "I can't wait to see your fight."

Riyu stiffened.

"You forgot, didn't you?" Asked Sakura, tilting her head and smiling.

Riyu dropped his head. "Well, I'm screwed." He murmered.

The group shared a laugh. Minato smiled.

"You've got a good group of kids, Kakashi."

"Thank you, sensei."

Minato cleared his throat. "So, who's next?"

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Kakashi glared at his enemy across the hall. Takeshi glared back, hatred in his eyes. Neither shinobi dared to move.

Naruto yawned, his head resting on his folded arms on the railing. "This is boring."

"Shut up Naruto," Ordered Sakura.

"What, all they're doing is just standing there," He countered. "Yo, Kakashi-sensei! Hurry up!"

He ignored Naruto.

"I hate to admit it, but it is pretty boring." Kiba commented.

"Thank you."

"Try to understand, there is mental warfare going on out there right now." Informed Kurenai.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"Battles of the mind are fun to watch," Commented a sarcastic Riyu, leaning against the wall behind Naruto with his hands tucked into his pockets.

Naruto turned around to Riyu. "How much money did you win from my fight?"

Riyu blinked innocently. "Huh?"

"Come on, I know you made a bet."

"Nope."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow. "Really?"

Riyu offered a grin.

Suddenly, there was a chorus of oohs and aahs from the others. Naruto spastically whipped around to see Kakashi standing over the dead body of Takeshi.

"That was incredible!" Exclaimed Sakura.

"What was?!" Naruto asked eagerly.

"His attack! That was incredible!" Exclaimed Kiba.

"Mindblowing," commented Kurenai.

"But…but…that's…I…That's not fair!" Whined Naruto, grabbing his hair in frustration.

Riyu stepped forward laughing. "Wow, Kakashi-sensei accomplished something that took you twenty minutes in only two."

Riyu…" Naruto warned.

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Sakura's fight was relatively quick. Once she learned that her dropped flaw was her emotions, she quickly set to work dispatching her enemy with instinct. It ended up being a fist fight, with a couple of impressive combos. Sakura won out though, and managed to defeat her alter-ego by roundhouse kicking her face into a wall.

After the confirmed victory, Sakura strode back in popping her knuckles.

She looked towards Naruto to see Riyu wide eyed.

"What?"

He quickly reached into his pouch and produced some money. "Here's the money I owe you for Naruto's fight." He said, out of fear.

"I knew it!" exclaimed Naruto.

Sakura accepted the money with a thanks then turned to look at the battlefield, thinking about Riyu's actions. "Was it really that bad?"

Naruto chuckled. "You just made Riyu pay early. Oh yeah, it was."

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As Riyu's dreaded fight waged, he began to notice something peculiar about his counterpart. He would not speak. He remembered Naruto's, Sakura's, and even Kakashi's clones speaking harshly about them. This nagged Riyu in the back of his mind for a couple of minutes. Finally, when they had taken a break from exchanging blow after blow, Riyu decided to ask.

"Hey, why won't you talk to me?" He called.

Ryuu simply stood there, not saying a word. Riyu's eye twitched in irritation.

"Hey Riyu!" Naruto called.

"What?"

"I think I just noticed something!"

"What?!"

"He doesn't have a mouth!"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Don't be a baka, of course he has a…Oh my God, I think you're right!" She called.

Riyu looked back at them, saw their questioning expressions, and turned back towards Ryuu. Sure enough, he had no mouth. There was nothing there but skin.

"Hey, Yondaime-sama! I think the clone thing's broken!" Riyu called.

"Nope!" He called," It's…pfft…it's just…fine." He suddenly burst out laughting, followed quickly by the others (save for Shino, he slightly chuckled).

Riyu didn't understand at first, but it quickly dawned on him. It didn't have a mouth, and it dropped the biggest flaw in the original….

Riyu's face went red. "That's not funny!" He yelled. The laughing grew. "That's not even…but…I…how…?" Riyu sighed, took his wallet out, and threw it down onto the ground.

Ryuu seemed to give Riyu a questioning look (it was hard to tell; no mouth).

Riyu sighed. "Oh shit, it looks like I dropped my wallet, that's filled with cash. I had better get it before some greedy ass hole beats me to it." He said sarcastically.

Ryuu wasted no time, reaching the wallet like he were an Olympic Gold Medalist. He quickly scooped it up and opened it, but was met with a large explosion. When the smoke cleared, Ryuu could be seen by the wall…and by the arch…and by Riyu's feet.

Riyu sighed. "Of course."

The Yondaime looked from his pupil to his son. "Could someone please explain?"

"There's no way in hell Riyu would pass up such an opportunity to score such easy money," Informed Sakura.

"I think he stuck a paper bomb inside of a dummy wallet," Said Kiba.

"Yeah, Riyu would never risk his real wallet, even on his death bed." Naruto commented.

The group laughed again as Riyu walked through the arch to join his friends.

"Hey, Riyu!" Greeted Naruto.

Riyu glared at his best friend. "Shut up, it wasn't funny."

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Kurenai defeated her clone soundly, managing to catch her in an untested version of her genjutsu technique. Shino followed, managing to turn Shinto's bugs on their master. After the fight, he stated "The insects are loyal, but only to the original master."

Now, after the first six fights, only two were left; Kiba and Hinata.

"So who's next?" Minato asked.

" I guess I'll go next," Kiba answered, stepped forward. "That way, when I win Hinata doesn't have to fight."

"Yeah, that's right," Added Sakura. "We're allowed one loss. If you win, we don't have to worry about Hinata getting hurt."

Hinata lowered her head in shame. Why didn't they think she was good enough. They were probably right, though. She would just get hurt, and she wouldn't be able to handle being defeated in front of Naruto again.

Naruto tilted his head, standing next to a sulking Riyu. He looked down at his sitting friend. "I don't think Hinata would get beaten."

Riyu spared a glance at Naruto. "You're probably right, but that's not the way they see it."

Kiba's partner barked from his place upon Kiba's head. Kiba's eyes glanced up to the small animal. "Are you sure you're okay?" Asked Kiba, like a parent would ask a child.

To answer his master's question, Akamaru leapt down from Kiba's head to the ground and barked a "yes", wagging his tail.

Kiba's grin softened. "Okay, boy. Let's give it our best, okay?" Akamaru gave an "Arf!" and Kiba smirked. "All right! Let's go."

He strode purposefully towards the arch. As he walked through, he felt the tingling sensation Naruto had described stutter down his spine. Kiba made his way to the center and stood, Akamaru at his side, and awaited his match.

"Hey, Naruto. Riyu," Came the voice of Sakura. Riyu, who stood to her immediate left, and Naruto, who stood on Riyu's left, turned their heads to see her.

"What?" Both boys asked simultaneously.

"I was watching Akamaru, and I noticed something. Have you two ever noticed that Akamaru has never grown, even though he's at least four years old?"

The boys paused for a moment.

"Now that you mention it," Started Riyu, taking a good look at the dog.

"That's weird," Spoke Naruto, tilting his head. "I thought dogs grew."

"Ano," Came the voice of the timid Hyuuga. "K-Kiba-kun gives Akamaru sp-special medication to stop him from g-growing."

Naruto gave Hinata a curious look. "Why?"

Hinata lightly blushed. "Kiba-kun never said why."

Sakura turned to Hinata. "Doesn't it hurt the dog?"

"If it does," Answered Shino, "Akamaru has never shown it."

Kurenai stepped forward to join her team. "I believe that Kiba believes Akamaru is at his peak. If he were to let Akamaru grow, then they would be a less powerful team."

"That makes no sense," Said Naruto.

"Yeah," Agreed Riyu.

"Personal opinions rarely do," Offered Kakashi.

Kiba saw it, the bright object he had seen several times before. First, it would just be a bright, shiny ball of energy. Then it would begin to morph, slowly taking the form of a man. Then there would be another flash of light, and the counterpart would be born. These events happened before Kiba, not once, but twice. The Kiba look-alike stood, hands in his hoodie pockets, a smirk on his face, across from Kiba. To the clones left, stood an Akamaru look alike. "Hey, the names Kaiba." Said the clone.

However, everyone's attention was drawn to the canine besides Kaiba. The dog was large; Fully standing, it came up to Kaiba's shoulders. The dog's fur was a dark tint of blue, almost black.

"What the hell is that?" Asked a shocked Kiba.

"What? You mean you don't recognize your own partner?" He glanced down at his dog. "Then again, Komaru isn't your partner, is he?"

"It's not that! You're Akamaru…he's huge!" Said Kiba, gesturing with his hands to emphasize the size.

Kaiba shrugged. "Yeah, so?" He pulled the hood on his hoodie up to cover his head. "Yo, Yondaime-sama! Can we start yet?" He called.

"You may start whenever you like!" Replied Minato.

"Let's go, Komaru!" Ordered Kaiba. The dog woofed loudly as he and his master rushed at Kiba.

"Let's do it, Akamaru!" Cried Kiba. Akamaru transformed into Kiba, and then they rushed forward to meet their adversaries. They joined together, spinning rapidly and shouting "Getsuga!"

Kaiba smirked. He and Komaru mimicked their counterparts; transforming and performing the attack. The opponents clashed loudly, slamming into the walls and the floor, destroying whatever they were thrown into.

It was clear that Kaiba and Komaru had the advantage. They possessed more force, thanks to Komaru's size, than Kiba anticipated. Kaiba managed to break through Kiba's attack, separating the two Kibas. He caught Kiba's wrist with his hand and kneed him in the gut repeatedly. Kiba doubled over, grunting in pain as he tried to wriggle his way free of Kaiba's grip.

Akamaru rushed to save his master, but was intercepted by Komaru. Komaru smirked. He was fast, faster than Akamaru could anticipate. He quickly slammed his clawed fist several times into Akamaru's chest. When he was finished, he picked Akamaru up and tossed him across the room. Akamaru landed with a thud and rolled a bit. There was a puff of smoke, and Akamaru was back to himself; His tiny, tiny self.

"Akamaru!" Hollered Kiba. Kiba bent his head down and bit hard down onto Kaiba's wrist.

Kaiba released his hold on Kiba out of shock. Kiba wasted no time. He shot forward and slammed his fist into the side off a distracted Komaru. Komaru's transformation was dispelled, rendering it a massive canine once again. Kiba reached his partner and knelt down.

"Are you okay, boy?" He asked. Akamaru turned his head to his master and made a weak bark. '_I don't get it. Akamaru _was_ injured a while ago, but he should be doing better now. Sakura even helped him heal._' Kiba reached into his pouch and produced a small capsule with three red pills inside. He opened Akamaru's mouth, popped the capsule open, and placed one of the pills into his dog's mouth. He helped the dog forcibly swallow the pill.

"Done yet?" Kaiba asked, the shock having worn away a while ago.

Kiba spun around, growling. He really hated this guy. Akamaru leapt up to his paws, sharing his master's thoughts of hate. He barked a ferocious bark. His fur was changing from it's normal white to a dark, crimson red, and it began to bristle.

Kaiba smirked. "Like it's going to help."

"Let's go!" Cried Kiba, again. Akamaru barked a "yes!" as human and canine shot towards Kaiba and Komaru, who had returned to his master's side as well. Akamaru transformed once again into Kiba, and they launched their Getsuga once more at Kaiba.

Kaiba smirked. He whistled to Komaru , and easily dodged Kiba and Akamaru. Kiba growled and changed direction, swiftly ricocheting off the wall and back at Kaiba. He and Akamaru changed pattern; They began circling Kaiba like sharks. They made an attack every other second by diving at Komaru and his master. Kaiba and Komaru stayed on top of the game and managed to easily read Kiba and Akamaru's attack patterns. They dodged every attack, either by ducking, sidestepping, or leaping over man and beast alike.

After a few minutes, Kaiba sighed. "That's enough."

He jumped up into the air to intercept Kiba. He performed a flip kick, catching Kiba in the jaw. With a painful yell, Kiba was sent up towards the ceiling. After gravity caught him and he began to descend, Kaiba delivered another blow to the side of his head, careening him sideways to the wall.

"No way!" Called Sakura.

"But, that attacks really hard to dodge!" Added Naruto, speaking from experience.

"Remember, Naruto," Said Kakashi, "That your duplicate knows everything about you."

"Neh?"

"Kaiba knows everything about the Getsuga. By staying on defense, he can successfully dodge any attack Kiba will tactlessly throw at him. Kiba has seriously underestimated his opponent."

Kiba recovered, pulling himself to his feet. His first instinct was to locate Akamaru. A small relief passed through him when he saw Akamaru dodging around Komaru. It vanished as quickly as it had come at the sight of Kaiba calmly striding over to him.

"Damn you," Swore Kiba. He reached into his pouch and produced a small smoke bomb.

Kiba rushed towards Kaiba again. When he was about three yards away, he leapt up into the air, aimed directly down at a curious Kaiba, and hurled the smoke bomb at him.

It landed at Kaiba's feet and exploded with a loud bang, a thick smoke emitting from the small bin. It didn't take long for the smoke to swallow Kaiba whole. Kaiba had thought that this trick was mere child's play, but he was soon proven wrong.

His eyes widened and burned; His nose twitched in pain. His hands shot up to cover his nose, to protect them from the malevolent odor that assaulted his nostrils. '_This…smell…What the hell is this God-awful smell!?' _He thought as his coughing fit began, tears streaming down his eyes as he tightly clenched them shut. "What the hell is this?"

Kiba stood outside the cloud of smoke with a smirk. "Ha! I got this bomb from my Kaa-san," He stated, bringing his hands into the tiger seal.

"What?" He coughed again. "Not _that_ bomb! Kaa-san told you to only use that in a dire emergency!"

"I think this qualifies as an emergency. I had to stun you somehow, and now you can't move." His eye's ventured towards Akamaru. "Akamaru, come!" He called.

Akamaru dodged another one of Komaru's attacks and, hearing his master's call, rushed over to his side. He leapt up onto Kiba's shoulders and launched himself into the air, striking Kaiba with Dynamic Marking.

"Bleh! That is disgusting!" Kaiba cried. "I think some got in my mouth!"

"Heh, good boy." Commented a plotful Kiba. He shot towards Kaiba with his powerful attack fully ready.

Before he could get close to Kaiba, Komaru blindsided him, throwing him off his path and knocking him down.

"How could Kiba forget about that dog?" Questioned Naruto.

"I think he's just obsessed with killing Kaiba," Offered Riyu, now leaning against the rail lazily.

Naruto turned to Riyu. "Why?"

Shino spoke up. "Defeat the master, defeat the underlings as well."

"Oh, so it's like killing two birds with one stone?" Asked Riyu.

Shino nodded. "Exactly." He saw Naruto give him an odd look. One that was reserved for an alien of some kind. "What?"

"You have a freaking answer for everything, don't you?"

Komaru pounced down on Kiba. Komaru thrust his head down and snatched Kiba's shoulder with his mouth, razor sharp fangs digging into his shoulder. Kiba hollered in pain as the fangs sank deeper and deeper into his flesh. He struggled to break free, punching the dog and attempting to roll over, but the more he hit the dog, the stronger the hold.

Suddenly, Akamaru leapt up onto Komaru's back. Akamaru leaned forward and chomped down onto Komaru's ear.

Komaru yelped in pain, immediately letting go of a pain-stricken Kiba and thrashing about wildly. The dog rolled over, tore off across the room and slammed Akamaru into a wall, but the dog refused to release his prey.

"Aka…Akamaru!" Cried Kiba as he pulled himself up to his feet. His good arm instantly shot to his blood soaked shoulder, clutching it in pain. He couldn't move his arm, and he was pretty sure that a few tendons were severed. Kiba made to run, to help out his teammate, but Kaiba stepping in his way. Kiba snarled.

"You just don't get it, Kiba," Said Komaru.

"What?" Snapped Kiba.

"You fail to let your partner realize his full potential."

Kiba paused. "…I-"

"You, what? Do you know why Komaru is so big. It's not Akamaru's flaw at all, the responsibility for his disability rests squarely on your shoulders." Kiba gasped. "You, who forced that medication onto the dog that prevented him from growing. His body needs to grow, but you just won't let him."

Kiba tightened his grip on his shoulder. Kaiba was right, he knew that much. Guilt wracked his body. He looked past Kaiba to see Akamaru struggling. The poor dog was struggling to keep his hold on Komaru. His fur was even losing color and sheen.

'_He's right. I have been holding you back, Akamaru. It's my fault you've been getting hurt so much. You need to grow._' He thought back, trying to find a reason why he had kept Akamaru that size. The only reason he could think of was that he was cute and all the girls loved him. He mentally kicked himself for being so stupid. '_Was it worth it?_' He asked himself as he watching his partner struggle.

Komaru finally managed to sling Akamaru off of his back. He caught the small dog in his mouth, holding him by his neck. Komaru growled and, with a jerk of his head, tossed Akamaru into the air. Komaru crouched down, preparing to launch an attack of some kind. Kiba didn't like the look of the chakra gathering around the dog.

Kiba's eyes widened. "Akamaru!" He shouted. Without any hesitation, he sprinted at Kaiba. "Getsuga!" He shouted, spinning rapidly.

"With one good arm? You must be joking," Joked Kaiba as he simply sidestepped his attacker. Kiba, after he missed, dispelled his attack and bolted for Akamaru. He ignored the pain that shot throughout his arm as he raced to save his friend.

'_Akamaru, I'm sorry. I promise, I'll stop giving you that medication, and I'll let you grow. I'll be a better master. And we'll train together every day, so that way, next time, we won't…._' Kiba applied all the strength he had left into his feet and jumped; Komaru pounced into the air in his own version of the Getsuga.

Kiba managed to get in between to two animals. He turned in the air to where his back was facing Komaru and threw his arms out. Kiba was struck directly in the back. His cries of pain echoed throughout the entire room, blood being drawn as easily as honey. After taking the full force of the attack and the attack relented, Kiba fell to the ground, hitting the ground and collapsed. He remained conscious for a few seconds, vaguely aware that several people were calling his name, then the world went black.

"Kiba-kun!" Cried Hinata.

The room went silent. The audience stared out in shock. Akamaru limped over to Kiba and sniffed his face. He licked his master's cheek, and then began to whimper for him.

Kaiba strolled over to the defeated duo. He looked down onto the two of them and folded his arms across his chest. "Pathetic," He said.

Naruto clenched his fist. "What an asshole."

Riyu and Sakura nodded.

Minato walked out to Kiba and checked his pulse. He sighed in relief and scooped Kiba and Akamaru up. As he walked away, he stated "The winner is Kaiba and Komaru."

Kaiba smirked as Komaru walked to him and sat down by his side. "However," He began, "I would have done the same thing." He ruffled his dogs hair as the two faded away into nothing.

"I…don't believe it." Stated a stunned Sakura as she watched Minato carry Kiba and Akamaru towards the arch.

"Kiba…lost," Finished Riyu.

As Minato carried them through the arch, the group rushed to his side, faces lit with concern.

"How is he?" Naruto asked hastily.

"He's severely injured, but he'll survive," Answered the Yondaime.

"Lay him down on the ground, over to the side," Ordered Sakura, going into medic mode. Seeing Minato's confused look, she quickly added "I'm a medic-nin. I need to treat him right away."

Minato nodded and obeyed. He gently lay Kiba down. Sakura knelt down beside Kiba and began the treatment.

Tears welled up in Hinata's eyes as she watched Sakura begin. Naruto saw her worry and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "He'll be okay, Hinata-chan." He said, offering her a kind smile.

Hinata nodded. She wanted to believe Naruto, and she tried, but seeing Kiba the way he was…it was hard.

Riyu sighed, then his head shot up with a gasp. "Oh shit!" He stated.

The group (save for Sakura and Kiba) turned towards the red ninja. "What?" Naruto asked.

"We're only allowed one loss," He answered.

"Yeah, so?"

"Kiba lost."

The meaning of the words hit everyone at once. The group turned towards Hinata, who wasn't used to the attention and blushed, turning her head down, choosing to gaze at a small rock on the ground. She knew the answer as well.

She had to win. It was all up to her.

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Hinata stood gracefully in the center of the arena, desperately trying to calm herself down with a series of deep breathing exercises. '_Okay, I can do this. I have to do this. If I fail, then everyone will be upset, and the entire village could suffer…No, be positive Hinata. You can do this, you're a highly trained kunoichi and…and…._' Her thoughts drifted as her gaze drifted to Naruto. She couldn't help it. She felt incomplete if she couldn't at least see him. He, along with the rest of the conscious group, watched her meditations with extreme nervousness. She could tell that they too were worried about her fight. Naruto's look was one of concern, kindness, and with a touch of sadness. She didn't know why, but she forced herself to turn away before he could catch her staring at him.

"What wrong Naruto?" Asked Riyu after returning from checking on Kiba.

"I don't think it's fair for all this pressure to be on Hinata-chan," He answered.

"Didn't you just say that she could handle herself?"Naruto paused and released a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Yeah," He admitted.

"Then don't worry about it." Offered Riyu. Naruto sighed and grinned.

"Thanks, Riyu. You're right, Hinata-chan's definitely gonna beat whatever they throw at her."

Minato glanced to Kakashi. "Hinata-_chan_?" He asked, nudging Kakashi in the ribs.

Kakashi chuckled. "He doesn't admit it yet, but I think he's beginning to fall for her."

Minato beamed with pride.

Riyu turned his head to look at Minato and Kakashi, turned his head back, and did a quick double take at the two of them. "What the hell?" He asked himself quietly.

Naruto turned his head. "What?" He followed Riyu's gaze to see what he was staring at. "What is he smiling about?"

"I don't know, but it's kinda creepy."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah."

Suddenly, the bright light came into view directly across from Hinata, and out stepped an almost exact replica of the Hyuua heiress. The only difference being her hair was pure black. The girl stepped out and looked directly into the eyes of the original. "Hello. I am Hinaka." She greeted as she took a polite bow.

Hinata bowed as well. "And I am Hyuuga Hinata."

Hinaka looked her other over. "Pfft. Of course you are," She stated hatefully. Hinata looked up in concern, eyes wide in surprise. "Seriously, if you were anyone else but you, I would be at least a little weary. However, I feel just fine."

"…A-ano…"

"Ha! Is that all you can say? That's all you ever say. Let's face it, Hinata. You're not cut out for the world of the shinobi. Neji-nii-san tried to tell you this, but you kept pushing yourself up and trying to stand tall and defend your nindo, which isn't even your nindo, you just copied it, when you failed horribly. Not once did you even inflict damage onto Neji-nii-san! Not once! And this is about to be a repeat.""But I…I've g-gotten…stronger, and…-"

"Listen, Hinata. I am you, so I know how much stronger you've gotten. You're still not even Neji's level. And why, because you don't want to be a killer. What do you think a shinobi is, Hinata? They are highly trained, paid assassins.!"

Naruto growled, tightening his grip on the rail, and actually bending it. "What a bitch," He murmered. "Why does everyone always pick on Hinata-chan?"

Shino, who was standing nearby, responded. "Are you referring to her fight with Neji-san?" Naruto nodded. "In that fight, Hinata was very tired and mentally weak. Her father had told her time and time again that she was worthless, and she went into that fight believing that she was. However, because of you, she was able to at least stand tall while taking her cousin's beating."

Riyu spared a glance towards Shino. '_Naruto's right, he really is a walking encyclopedia._' He thought.

"Because of me?" Naruto asked. Shino nodded. Naruto turned back to the arena, still pondering Shino's words. "Because of me…"

"I…I know all of that," Defended Hinata.

"You do, and yet you don't. On all of your missions, you've failed to kill your target or your enemy in your way because you lacked the resolve to actually kill them. You're weak, and I have outgrown you."

"I…I…"

"Let's think back to that promise you made to yourself about two years ago. How much have you changed, really? You've started growing your hair out, you've gotten slightly stronger, and you don't stutter as much as you used to. However, you still faint, you still lack the will to kill, and you still can't even stop from getting all red in the face when your around _him_." Stated Hinaka, jerking her head towards Naruto.

Hinata's eyes widened. "No! You mustn't!"

Hinaka smirked. "Then come, Hinata. Prove to me you are worthy enough for him."

Naruto scratched his head. "Who are they talking about?"

Riyu exchanged a look with Shino and sighed. "No clue." He lied.

Hinaka dropped into a Jyuuken stance; Hinata did the same. Both fighters had their forms down perfectly, almost twin-like. Hinaka took a step towards Hinata, and the fight commenced. Open palms collided with palms and wrists, chakra striking chakra again and again. Hinaka went down for a leg sweep, which Hinata jumped right over and went to drive a Jyuuken into Hinaka's chest. Hinaka smirked and spun around, dodging Hinata to the left and going in for her back.

Hinata crouched, narrowly missing the attack, and sprang up and rushed her opponent. Hinaka met Hinata's blow and parried it. The fight drug on like this for several minutes. With each passing moment, more and more chakra was drained, and Hinata's fatigue began to show. '_No, not yet…I have…to keep fighting. If I lose, then…_'

From that point on, Hinata took on a defensive pattern. She seemed content with dodging and blocking Hinaka's attacks, which were coming fiercer and fiercer each moment. Not only did Hinaka strike with her Jyuuken, but with her words as well.

"Seriously, Hinata. What hope do you have for a happy future with the one you love?" She began, "By family law, you will be required to marry into a noble family by your 18th birthday, so why pursue these feelings of love?"

Hinata's eyes widened. "Why…?" Hinata realized her mistake almost immediately. She had lowered her defense, allowing Hinaka to strike harder and deal a fair amount of damage. Hinata countered as best she could, and she even managed to get a good hit or two in, but she could feel her body aching to stop. After all, the Jyuuken took a lot of chakra to use.

After a minute or two more of countering and attacking, Hinaka realized something. '_This isn't good. She's developing a plan. Why is she trying so hard. The Hinata I know wouldn't try this hard.'_ Suddenly, Naruto fell into her sights briefly, and that was the only answer she needed.

She smirked. "Do you think he will ever return your feelings?" She asked.

Hinata gasped at the randomness of the question, a question which she was terrified of, and the way she had said it so bluntly.

"What, no answer? I don't even have an answer." She pushed Hinata back and smirked. "So let's ask him ourselves."

Hinata's eyes widened instantly, any thoughts of attack and defense now wiped clean out of her mind. "You…you wouldn't!"

"I'm going to," She answered. She leaned in close and whispered. "I'm going to tell Naruto-kun that you are in love with him." She pulled back, sucked in a breath, and began to holler, "Naruto-kun, guess wha-!"

"No!" Cried Hinata, blindly rushing a Jyuuken attack at Hinaka, face flushed from embarrassment and fear.

Hinaka smirked. She shoved Hinata back and delivered a Jyuuken into her chest.

With a painful gasp, Hinata collapsed onto her knees, blood slowly dripping down from her mouth. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed fully onto the floor.

"Hinata-chan!" Called and enraged Naruto, bending the rail he was clutching in the process.

"Humph. What a waste." She turned to leave. "Yondaime-sama we're done here. Please escort these losers out of the temple."

"Hinata-chan!" Screamed Naruto. He leaned forward even more. "Come on, Hinata-chan! Get up! Are you going to let her get away with all of those things she said about you?"

Hinaka spared Naruto a kind look. It's no use, Naruto-kun. I'm sorry it turned out this way, but-"

"Hinata-chan!" He hollered, his voice echoing off of the walls.

Hinata's eyebrows twitched. "N…Naruto…kun," She mumbled. She forced herself to remain conscious, for Naruto. She remembered the promise she had made to herself before the fight. She absolutely refused to lose in front of him again.

Staggering to her feet, she managed to stand up fully and fall into they Jyuuken stance.

Hinaka turned to look at Hinata. She bit her lower lip in frustration. "How many times am I going to have to take you down?" She asked as she walked menacingly towards the Hyuuga heiress.

Hinata remained silent, trying to focus all of her energy on staying conscious and winning the fight.

"Okay," Started Riyu to Shino, " I get that it's Hinata's other, but what exactly was dropped when Hinata went through the arch?" Shino thought for a moment.

Hinaka reached Hinata and slid into her stance. "I don't know how you got up, but it looks like you're barely standing." She smirked, enjoying the strain Hinata was under. "So, you think I should tell him, or should I just leave you to suffer like the weakling that you are?"

"THAT'S IT!" Yelled an enraged Naruto. "Hinaka, you're nothing but a fucking bitch with a stick up your ass! I wish I could kick your ass myself!"

Hinaka's eyes went wide, her eyes threatening to overflow with tears as she stared, heartbroken, at Naruto. "Naruto-kun…"

The group watching the fight stared in wonder and shock, even Naruto. Here was the girl who had seemed like a royal bitch. Now she was just a simple little child.

"It would appear," Began Shino, "That Hinaka lost Hinata's fragile and peaceful personality, but retained her crush on Naruto." Of course, he said it so low so that only Riyu could hear.

"Okay, I get it," Responded Riyu. "So that's why Hinaka is so devastated by Naruto's words."

Hinata saw her window of opportunity. She pushed all of her strength she had left into her Jyuuken and stuck Hinaka directly in the chest. This time, it was Hinaka's turn to feel the incredible pain of a Jyuuken. But Hinata didn't stop there. She delivered several more, but less powerful, jabs into her chest before the clone toppled over in pain.

Hinaka tried to push herself up onto her legs, but found that she couldn't move her body at all. She had lost. "Finish me."

Hinata glanced down at her clone and, with a serious face, said, "Sorry, but that's…not my way."

Hinaka sighed. "Figures." She closed her eyes and slowly began to vanish.

"The winner is Hinata!" Called Minato. "The Fights are over. With a record of 7 wins and 1 loss, the winners are allowed to press on and recover the sacred stone."

Naruto leapt up into the air and pumped his fist. He leapt up over the rail and ran straight for Hinata. He captured her in a warm hug. "It's all thanks to you, Hinata-chan!" He said.

Hinata blushed several shades of red. "Naruto-kun…"

"I mean it. You were great! Especially the way you handled yourself against her attacks!" He complimented.

Riyu stood on the sidelines, scratching his head. "Uhh, Naruto. You might not want to do that…"

Too late. Hinata, who could barely stand, and was being hugged by the man she loved, passed out from both the fight and Naruto's embrace.

"Hinata-chan? Neh, Hinata-chan?" He called, trying to wake the sleeping Hyuuga.

Everyone shared a laugh as Minato and Kakashi walked out to the arena floor to help Naruto carry Hinata back to the sidelines.

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Phew, done. I devoted 2 weeks to this chapter, and I feel like I'm going to get carpal tunnel syndrome. You see what I did there? Broke my limit, which is usually about 7000 words per chapter. I gave you extra, since I had been gone for so long. It is at this time that I would like to ask you for forgiveness and ask you to understand that many things go on in my life. I must undertake my responsibilities before I can write.

I'm still gonna write, don't get me wrong. It's fun.

Oh yeah, I drew Riyu. Go to my profile and click on the link to view the pics.

Honestly, you made it this far. I seriously doubt many people make it this far, and I barely expect to get any reviews. I guess I'm just doing this for the passion of it.

Oh yeah, I turned 18, so now I'm officially the most immature adult alive!

Until Next time (I swear not to leave you hanging for almost a year), I'm Riyuto-san, and I can be found on xbox live.( If you ever wanna talk, feel free to message me)

At least 5 reviews or no update.

**ANBU26: I would have to disagree with you on being the most immature adult ever. I am almost 20 and I am 100 times more immature then you are. As an early review this chapter was awesome buddy. Until next time, Peace.**


	24. Ch 23 The Truth

(Readies Flame Shield) So…how's it going guys? I've left you all hanging for…what, two years now? I agree, I really should start writing again. I got sidetracked with a few extra projects, and real life stuff is constantly bugging me. I'm also working on writing a book series of my very own. If it ever gets published, not only will I shit a brick, but I'll inform you all on what it is called so you could check it out.

On a side note, if this popped up in your e-mail as an alert, then God bless you.

Disclaimer: Riyuto-san does not own Naruto. If you can even begin to remember who the hell Riyu and Zulku are, they're his property.

* * *

**Chapter 24: The Truth**

Hinata felt her consciousness slowly returning to her. She was immediately aware that her back was resting on the cold, stone floor. Why was she lying on the floor? She tried to remember, but the sound of two voices cut off her thoughts as she found herself focusing on the conversation.

"We're not leaving her!" Snapped Naruto, folding his arms across his chest in protest.

Kakashi sighed. "All I said was that if she doesn't wake up soon, we may have to, Naruto. We need to get moving as soon as possible."

"But she worked her ass off so we could get through! She's earned the right to go on ahead with us." Defended the blond.

Hinata felt her chest tighten and her heart pounding in her chest at the sound of her crush. But what was he talking about? She wasn't completely sure yet, but as her eyes slowly began to flutter open, she had a feeling it involved her.

Riyu shrugged. "I'm with Naruto. She had to work her tail off for us, why not wait for her to wake up? It's already been what, an hour?" He guessed.

Naruto nodded, pointing at Riyu for emphasis. "See? Even Riyu agrees."

Kakashi sighed. "Fine, we'll give her another hour. If she isn't awake by then, we're going to have to go on ahead without her."

Naruto grunted and folded his arms. Riyu gave Naruto a thumbs up.

"Hey, at least you bought her another hour." He said.

"I guess…." Muttered Naruto as he glanced over at Hinata, lying on the floor beside an unconscious Kiba. "I just wish she would wake up soon. It just wouldn't feel right going on without her."

Riyu grinned mischievously. "Why don't you go over there and give her a kiss?" He asked.

Naruto's cheeks flushed instantaneously, while Hinata could feel her own cheeks heat up, as her heart beat at an impossible beat.

"Wh-wh-wh-what? Why?" Stammered Naruto, flustered by Riyu's question.

Riyu shrugged, still grinning. "Just give her mouth to mouth, Naruto. That should revive her." He almost let a chuckle escape. Harassing his friend never got old.

His cheeks still flushed, Naruto glanced over at the still form of Hinata and gulped nervously. Riyu's eyes narrowed as he stared at Naruto's expression. Was he seriously going to do it? Riyu was only joking. Surely Naruto wasn't actually gonna….

Naruto took a step forward. "If that's the only way, I guess I'll have to." He said, as if convincing himself it was the only way.

Riyu's jaw dropped in disbelief. He was seriously going to do it? Maybe Raruto hit Naruto too hard on the head or something. That was the only explanation; there was no way someone so gullible could possibly exist.

The Hyuuga heiresses' eyes fluttered open quickly as the sounds of hesitant footsteps came closer and closer. Soon enough, Naruto was standing over her, and his expression changed from embarrassment to relief as he called everyone over, announcing that Hinata was awake.

Kurenai was the first to Hinata's side, and asked her how she felt, if she was in any pain, and if she could stand.

Suddenly she remembered everything that had happened. It was a rush of memories, leading up to her fainting into Naruto's arms. She blushed as she tried to answer Kurenai's questions as best she could, and soon everyone was at her side.

The Yondaime grinned. "Well, looks like you guys can go on ahead now." He said, folding his arms and grinning. He noticed Riyu was still standing in shock, jaw still hanging down. "You okay?"

Riyu nodded lightly, his look of bewilderment still plastered on his face. Minato wondered if it was going to be stuck like that. He had to slap himself to get out of his advanced state of stupor, and he joined the crowd gathering around Hinata.

Kakashi turned to Minato, and nodded at him. "I hate to just leave, but we have a very important mission to finish."

Minato nodded. "I understand. The fate of Konoha rests on it, right? I'd be eager too if I were you."

Naruto grinned at Hinata, his cheeks still flushed a little. "That fight was really awesome, Hinata-chan. You beat her really well, and got us through." He paused, a little embarrassed, though he really didn't know why. "We were, uh, waiting for you to wake up." Riyu rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Hinata bit her lip. "I-I'm glad I could help." She said. Naruto extended his hand, and she hesitantly took it, pulling herself up to stand. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto grinned. "No problem." He said, scratching the back of his head with his hand. Why was he so embarrassed?

Sakura folded her arms impatiently. "Guys, can we get a move on now? We still have a gem to find. We've been in here for far too long."

Riyu nodded. "I know what you mean. It feels like it's been years, you know?" He commented.

Kurenai stood fully and gestured for everyone's attention. "I'll be staying here alongside Kiba, as he is yet to awaken."

Shino, who had been leaning by the wall at Kiba's side the entire time, glanced up. "Me too. I do not have the right to proceed, seeing as how I forfeited my match."

The copy ninja nodded. "I guess it's just the five of us, then."

Riyu stepped forward. "Actually, make that four. It's not every day you get to meet your dead idol. I'm gonna stay here and hang with Minato for a while." He said, shooting directly to Minato's side, a stupid grin on his face. It was obvious he had been planning this.

Naruto tilted his head. "You sure?"

Riyu nodded. "Yeah, you guys don't need me anyways. You'll be fine." He smirked at Naruto. "If anything happens, you can just administer CPR."

Naruto shot Riyu a look that said he would pay for that later, but Riyu just laughed it off. Stealing a quick glance at Hinata, Naruto spun around to face the long, dark hallway that led deep into the temple.

"Okay then, we'd better get going. The sooner, the better. Let's go, guys." Said Naruto, walking quickly away from the others.

Hinata and Sakura exchanged a confused look before taking off after Naruto. "Hey you idiot, wait for us!" Chided Sakura

Kakashi sighed and gave Minato an apologetic look before taking off after his students.

Riyu glanced around the room, taking in just how quiet it was without Naruto and the others. He glanced up at Minato, beaming. He looked down at Riyu, and arched a brow.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Mind if I ask you a few questions?"

* * *

The chasm felt like it was going to go on forever to Naruto. Each footstep he and the others took echoed throughout the hall and the air was growing chilly. It wasn't dark, thanks to the various torches aligning the walls. Small puddles of water were scattered here and there, which was quickly pointed out by Sakura. She said it was because of the temple's age, and since it was underwater, there had to be some water leaks that got by the ninjutsu barrier.

The group marched in relative silence. Sakura would occasionally converse with Kakashi, discussing the legends of the temple, but Naruto found their conversation so boring that he didn't pay any attention to it at all. Hell, it was hard for him to pay attention in the first place.

All he could think about was how stupid he had to be earlier. Why had he let Riyu talk him into giving Hinata mouth to mouth? And why was his heart pounding as he thought of giving her the procedure? Sure, he had thought it would help her, but it shouldn't be affecting him like this. His mind was mush at the moment; nothing in his world made sense anymore.

It wasn't another five minutes until they saw a bright light at the end of the tunnel. Naruto pushed his confusing thoughts to the back of his mind so he could focus on the next trial, whatever it may be. Would there be another fight?

As they entered, Naruto couldn't help but feel impressed. It was a tall, rounded room. Golden stone tiles made up the walls, with various portraits and paintings hanging upon them. There was one of a mighty dragon, spewing flames at one man who deflected with a mighty sword. There was another of a man and a woman, hand in hand, standing on a cliff overlooking the sea at sunset. There were others, but he quickly lost interest in them.

"Whoa." Muttered Sakura, taking in the room.

"This is incredible." Stated Hinata, in awe as well at the sheer size and beauty of the room.

Naruto couldn't help but agree as well. The room was gigantic. It was big enough to hold…well, a dragon.

Glancing around the floor level, Naruto noticed four doors spread far from each other. In the center of the room was a large, metallic box with ancient scripture engraved on it. Peering closer, Naruto noticed there was a large keyhole in the dead center of the box. Naruto tilted his head.

"I'm guessing that the gem is underneath the box." Stated Kakashi.

"What makes you say that?" Asked Naruto.

He gestured towards one of the doors, leading them towards it. Naruto saw what Kakashi was pointing at. Inscribed above the door read; Max: 1. whatever that was supposed to mean.

"That same phrase is written above each of the four doors." Said Kakashi.

"That must mean only one of us is permitted to enter each room. Maybe this is an individual test, and the reward is the key." Guessed Sakura.

Kakashi folded his arms in thought. "Yes, but there is only one key slot, and there are four doors. Perhaps only one of these doors leads to the actual key itself. The rest are just pointless traps to deter you."

"Maybe." Said Sakura.

"It's a good thing Riyu didn't come after all." Said Naruto. "There are only four doors. He would have had to sit out and wait for us."

Sakura shrugged. "I doubt he would have objected, anyways."

A light chuckle came from Kakashi, who took a quick sweeping glance at the room. "I'm not so sure of that. I think that, maybe, this room is designed to test everyone that passes through. If there was a larger group, than more doors would be present." He said.

Sakura turned to him. "What makes you say that?"

"It's just a hunch. It reminds me of the previous test, where you were pitted in a custom versus match against an improved version of yourself...I also find it hard to believe that there are four doors, and exactly four of us." Said Kakashi.

The group quickly decided to enter each room at the same time. They would try and hurry through as quickly as possible. Kakashi reminded Naruto several times not to do anything risky, which he just rolled his eyes at. Wouldn't be him if he didn't.

Naruto crossed the floor and made his way to his own door. He gripped the cold, round door handle and turned it. He pushed the door open, and tried to peek inside.

Darkness. Complete and total darkness. He couldn't see a thing. Suddenly, he felt a violent shove from behind, and staggered forward into the room. The door slammed shut, sending a loud echo to vibrate through the dark room. Naruto spun and rushed for the door, trying to pull it open. It refused to budge, regardless of how hard he tried.

Growling in frustration, Naruto pulled his hands up into his favorite seal, but nothing happened.

"That won't work, just so you know." Came a voice from behind Naruto. "Chakra doesn't work in this realm."

Naruto spun around, kunai in hand to defend himself against attack, even though it was pitch black and he couldn't see his own hand in front of his face. Naruto's eyes came to rest upon the only visible thing in the room.

It was himself. This version was shrouded in a dark, purplish mist, and his form was pitch black, from his clothes to his skin. His eyes shone a murky gray color, and his grin was far creepier than it was meant to be.

Naruto gaped at the one before him. "Who are you?" He asked.

The entity shook his head in mock disbelief. "Believe it or not, I'm you. I know everything you've ever done, ever thought, ever thought about doing, and I understand the things that you don't."

Naruto smirked. "So you're just another cheap imitation that I have to beat up."

The dark Naruto shrugged. "Well, yes and no, I guess."

Naruto took that as a go ahead, so he charged to deliver the first blow. With a loud battle cry that reverberated throughout the room, he aimed a punch directly at his enemy's face, who just stood stock still, grinning knowingly.

Naruto passed harmlessly through the dark being, surprising himself as he lost his balance and fell forward. He quickly stabilized himself and spun around. "W…What are you?"

He sighed. "I just told you. My name is irrelevant, if that's what you're asking. Call me Negato, if you really wish to give me a name."

"Negato?" Asked Naruto, confused.

Negato sighed. "Negato. I am the negative version of you. Nega. Naruto. Get it?" The look Naruto was giving him indicated no such luck. Negato shook his head. "God, you are so slow."

Naruto recognized the insult. "Who are you calling slow, bastard?" He demanded.

"You. I mean, really, how dense can one person be? I'm you, and even I'm having a hard time following your logic and confusion."

"What?" Snapped Naruto.

"You really don't understand anything. Take for instance just a little while ago. When Riyu, being the joker that he is, suggested you give someone mouth to mouth. You tensed up, your heart beat picked up, you felt a little excited to do it, and yet you didn't understand why." Said Negato.

Naruto growled in frustration. What did this have to do with anything? "So what?"

"So what?" He asked, disbelievingly. "It is important for the both of us."

Naruto clenched his fist. "I don't get this. What am I supposed to do to fight you?"

A grin spread across Negato's creepy features. "That is a good question, isn't it?"

"Huh?"

Negato thought for a moment, then locked eyes with Naruto. "Let me put this into words you can understand. This is a battle of the mind. If you can't find out how to defeat me within the next half hour, you must leave without the key."

"What?"

Negato laughed. "And the timer started five minutes ago."

* * *

Kakashi heard the door slam shut as darkness enveloped the room. He glanced around for any source of light, but found none. He attempted to activate his Sharingan eye, but found it couldn't activate properly. He tried a few times, but each time ended in failure.

"Something about this room must negate my chakra." Thought Kakashi aloud.

"You're pretty close." Came a voice in front of Kakashi. In the blink of an eye, a negative version of Kakashi stood before him. He looked no different, except that he wore no mask on his face. "Actually, the doorways are a portal to a separate dimension, created especially by the ancient creators of the stones to test those that thought they were worthy of claiming the stone."

"And who are you? Another clone of myself I must fight?" Asked Kakashi.

"It's a mental battle this time, Kakashi. I know everything about you, and I mean everything. I am you, in almost every way." Said the stranger. "You can call me Takashi."

"If you are me, and you know everything I know, why do you know so much about this dimension if I don't?" Asked Kakashi.

Takashi smirked. "I like that you think so much. This will be fun. I guess I can answer you before the game begins."

"Game?" Asked Kakashi.

Takashi ignored him. "You see, even though I am you, I was made from the dark matter from this dimension. I was present all those years ago, and I'm here now in your image. I'm the all knowing version of you, Hatake Kakashi. I am you and it, at once."

Kakashi nodded. "I see. And what is this game?"

Takashi shrugged. "If you can't defeat me mentally in half an hour, the game is lost and you must leave, and never come back. No pressure. I know you have a very noble cause, and you don't plan to misuse the stone, but rules are rules. I'm not throwing this, especially since it's been so long since I've had contestants."

The time limit threw Kakashi for a moment, but he knew he could handle whatever was thrown at him. The only thing he was worried about was Naruto. Could he do this?

"How do we begin?" Asked Kakashi.

A grin spread across Takashi's face. "It already has."

* * *

Sakura didn't appreciate the rules of the game. It wasn't particularly fair. Her negative counterpart, Kurosana, refused to tell her exactly what she had to do to win the game. She tried to deck her, but she just passed through harmlessly, and worse, Kurosana laughed at her efforts.

Why was she going to make this so hard for her? After all, wasn't she the one that was destined for the stone? Oh well, she would just have to make this quick and get out of here. She couldn't stand Kurosana. The way she looked down at her just rubbed her the wrong way. But half an hour to outsmart her smarter counterpart? That was devious, but there had to be some trick.

Otherwise, what was the point of calling this a test. Surely she could figure it out, and she was fairly confident that Hinata and Kakashi would figure it out as well. The only black sheep was going to be….

"Naruto." Said Kurosana. Sakura's eyes snapped up to lock with her dark counterpart's. "I can tell you're worried about him passing this test, and yes, I must agree with you. He's probably going to let all of you down."

"Show's what you know!" Snapped Sakura. "Naruto has yet to fail us when it really matters."

Kurosana chuckled. "That's where you're wrong, Sakura. He has failed once before."

"When?"

"Remember that promise he made a few years ago? When he promised to bring Sasuke back to you, and failed?"

Sakura felt like her words were a blow to the gut. "But that doesn't count!" She protested.

Kurosana raised a brow. "Why not? Don't you remember? I do. You were so dejected when you found out Naruto had failed. You were angry with him."

"No I wasn't!" Protested Sakura.

Kurosana shook her head. "Lying isn't going to work on me, remember. Everything you've ever thought or felt, I know it all. With you, it was always about Sasuke. Sasuke this. Sasuke that. And when you learned Sasuke had left the village, you begged Naruto to stop him and he swore he would do it. And then what happened? He lost to Sasuke, and failed to keep his promise."

"But he said it was a lifetime promise. He still plans to-"

"But you yourself have started thinking 'what if Sasuke never comes back? Would it really be so bad?' haven't you?" Asked Kurosana.

Eyes wide, Sakura stared at Kurosana in shock. Was this really her inner most self? "Wh…what do you-"

"You know exactly what I mean. You're feelings have started to shift, haven't they? Towards the boy who broke his promise."

Sakura shook her head sheepishly, blush spreading across her cheeks. "Of course not. Why would I like someone like that."

A sigh escaped Kurosana's breath. "Do you have any idea how pathetic you sound right now?"

"What?"

"You're lying to yourself, Sakura. Do I need to keep reminding you of just how much I know about you? You're starting to forget Sasuke. You're so fickle, it's disgusting." Chided Kurosana.

"Stop it!" Pleaded the pink haired kunoichi.

"Why? The truth being thrown into your face is better than lying to yourself over and over. You used to like Sasuke, now you like Naruto. Who will it be next week, Sakura? Kiba? Neji? Maybe you'll give Rock Lee a chance, seeing as how you used to treat Naruto like crap, and now you like him. You take Lee for granted now, so it only seems logical that you'd move onto him next." Kurosana paused and took a good look at Sakura, and Sakura saw a look of disgust in her eyes, with venom dripping from her voice. "How could someone like you be destined for the gem? It's preposterous."

Sakura clenched her fist in fear. This was way too much for her to handle. Was everyone else going through the same thing?

* * *

Hinata's alter self, Negima, didn't seem like she meant any actual harm. She bowed and acted polite towards her. If it wasn't for the creepy way her body looked, Hinata wouldn't have ever thought she was different. She couldn't use her byakkugan, no matter how much she tried, and Negima had informed her of her situation.

"Ano…could you tell me how to receive the key, please?" Asked Hinata politely.

Negima smiled warmly at her. "I could tell you, but then the purpose would be defeated. I'm sorry, I really don't want to do this to someone as kind as you. But it comes with the job description."

"What does?" Asked Hinata.

"Telling you to grow up and realize that holding out for Naruto is pointless." Said Negima. There wasn't a hint of regret or sorrow in the voice. It was stone cold, as if everything said by her was an irreversible fact.

"N-Nani?" Asked Hinata. She was so polite a moment ago. Was this a part of the test? "Negima-san?"

Negima put her hands on her hips. "Listen, Hinata. This is for your own good. Give up on Naruto. He doesn't feel the same about you, and probably never will. You know it too, don't you? That he has feelings for Sakura, and not you?"

Hinata lowered her gaze. She knew it was true, and it hurt every time she was reminded of it. "Hai." She answered.

"Then why? If you want to gain the respect of others, would you continue to drag yourself down with the false hope that he will someday return your feelings? You know as well as I do that it's never going to happen. Naruto has a one track mind, and all he sees is becoming the Hokage, and Sakura." Chided Negima.

There was a sudden coldness in her voice now, as if she was preparing to get even meaner with Hinata. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes. This was painful, constantly being reminded of her future heartbreak.

"Why not just save yourself from the heartbreak? Forget about Naruto, you can find happiness with someone else. I know you have feelings for him, and that they're strong, but try and channel them to someone who will actually give you the time of day, tell you how pretty he thinks you are, and will hold your hand as you walk through the village?" Asked Negima. She walked over to Hinata's side, and slid an arm around her shoulder, as if she were her older sister that was trying to talk some sense into her younger sibling. "I know how it's going to end, and it won't be a happy ending for you."

Negima took on a deep voice, and whispered gently yet harshly words that rattled Hinata's bones to her core.

"Stop loving Naruto."

The thoughts of Hyuuga Hinata were frantic, to say the least. Forget about loving Naruto? Telling her to stop? That was like telling her to learn how to grow gills and live underwater. To tell the moon to stop orbiting the Earth. She couldn't even begin to picture forgetting her first real love. What she felt for Naruto was real. It was true. And being told to forget about him by someone with her voice felt like an icy dagger plunging deep into her heart.

A tear streaked down her cheek. "Why?" She asked weakly.

Negima raised a brow. "Why what?"

"Why should I stop loving Naruto-kun?" She asked. She looked up into Negima's eyes, tears welling up in her eyes. "I love this feeling. You know how I feel too, don't you?" Negima nodded. "This feeling that wells up in my chest whenever I see him is real, and it's true. I don't want to stop loving Naruto-kun, because I love him too much to let him go."

"But he doesn't feel the same about you, Hinata." Spoke Negima. "What are you going to do in a few years when he and Sakura are walking with their baby down the streets of Konoha?"

Hinata flinched, and Negima felt like she had struck a decisive blow. She decided to press for the finisher. "It's only natural that they would consummate their love, and have many children. What will you be doing then, Hinata? Will you be still waiting for a love that will never come to fruition?"

Hinata was silent for a moment, and Negima was about to carry on, but Hinata raised her head up high, wearing a weak smile. Why was she smiling? Was it a form of her kindness? Or pity?

"I don't know what the future is going to be like. Maybe Naruto-kun will marry Sakura, and I will wish them the best because I love him. And I would eventually learn to love someone else, almost as much as I do Naruto-kun. But…right now…at this moment…I want to continue loving him."

She shook her head, and rubbed the tears out of her eyes. When she reopened them, they were full of a conviction that Negima had trouble believing was coming from Hinata. "I refuse to stop loving Naruto-kun, no matter what you say. I will not stop, no matter what you say."

Negima's mouth hung open in disbelief. The conviction was so…true. It felt pointless to try and turn her, but she had to try.

"But Hinata, he-"

"He is the Naruto-kun I love. And if you are me, then you must love him as much as I do."

Negima's eyes widened and she felt tears running down her cheeks. Impossible! But she couldn't lie to Hinata. She nodded. "I am you, so of course I do."

"Then why would you do that to me?" Asked Hinata.

Negima smiled warmly, and cupped Hinata's cheek in her palm. It was cold against her warm soft skin. "That is the question, isn't it?" She shook her head, and extended a close hand towards the Hyuuga heiress. She looked down at it with confusion. "Congratulations, Hinata. You've beaten me. Take this."

She opened her palm to reveal an iron ring, with a broken stub on the side. Hinata accepted the reward and glanced at it confusingly. She looked up at Negima. "What is it?"

"It's a piece of the key that leads to the vault. Keep it with you until the others are done with their chambers." She gestured towards the door, and it slowly swung open. The light was so bright that Hinata had to cover her eyes with her arm. She turned back to Negima, who was slowly beginning to fade away.

"Negima-san?" Asked Hinata.

Negima smiled. "It's okay, this is supposed to happen. Don't worry." She paused just before she faded away completely. "Hinata?"

"Hai?"

"Good luck." She said, before completely vanishing.

She took another look at the room and then the iron ring in her hand, then walked through the doorway, with it slamming firmly behind her.

* * *

Naruto's hands clenched at his hair as Negato kept on berating him.

"I don't understand!" Said Naruto.

The nega-version of Naruto sighed. "That's the problem with you. You're still a child. You claim to like Sakura, but you and I both know that emotion faded into a brother/sister thing a long time ago."

"Yeah, so what of it?" Asked Naruto. "I've already explained this to Hinata-chan!"

"And why did you feel compelled to explain it to her?"

Naruto blinked in confusion. "What?"

"When you told her, you wanted her to understand that you don't think of Sakura like that anymore." Informed Negato.

Naruto had to think for a moment. Did he really? Was that why his gut was screaming at him to mention that he thinks of Sakura as his sister? It was true, though. The crush turned out to be nothing but a brief flame. He still cared about her, but not in that way anymore. It was weird how it had suddenly vanished like that.

"So what if I did? That really doesn't have anything to do with this!"

"It has everything to do with this, my dumb little friend." Said Negato. He flicked Naruto in the head, which passed harmlessly through. It still felt weird, though. "You've been so obsessed with chasing down friends who don't wanna be saved, villages that have nothing to do with you, and gems that you know nothing about, that you haven't realized what is right in front of your face. I know what it is, of course, but you….You have no idea, and it frustrates me." He said, emotionless.

"Why don't you just tell me what it is, if it gets you so mad?" Demanded Naruto. Negato was seriously starting to piss him off.

The nega-Naruto shook his head empathetically. "Can't do that. That would defeat the purprose."

"Purpose of what?" Snapped Naruto.

"The means to an end."

Naruto yelled out loud in frustration, hands gripping his hair. Why was this guy pissing him off so much? Was it because of how much Naruto hated his know it all attitude? Or was it because, deep down, he knew Negato was right about something? Naruto had no clue, but Negato did, and it was driving him crazy. If that was his intention, it was working all too well.

"Hey now, there's no reason to yell. You only have yourself to blame for your ignorance."

The blond growled angrily. "Why don't you give me a hint instead of just talking down to me."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because I think you're bluffing. You're way too vague to really mean anything you say." Said Naruto. He was desperately trying to peel away any information he could.

Negato smirked slyly. "I see what you did there, nice try. But I suppose it would make things a little more interesting. There is only about ten minutes left, after all."

Ten minutes? Damn! It had felt like only a few minutes to Naruto. Time must pass differently in this dimension.

Negato rolled his shoulders a moment before continuing. "Alright, fine. Here's the hint you desired. This person is closer to you than you think, and yet you completely overlook her, but at the same time, you're very protective of her. Just think about it, Naruto. I know you're smart enough."

"Stop patronizing me!" Yelled Naruto angrily.

Negato waved his hands innocently. "Calm down. I tell you so much because I know I could tell you all but her name, and you would never make the connection. I'm still going to win, no matter what."

A growl rumbled in Naruto's throat. "Don't underestimate me."

Negato shrugged. "True. You do have a knack of escaping certain death. But think about this. In ten minutes, after you fail to pass my test, you will have to walk out of here and look her in the eyes and apologize for failing. She'll be so ashamed of you. And so will the others. No one will be pleased with you, and your village will fall."

It was towards the end of Negato's speech that Naruto had stopped paying attention. He slipped up, whether he realized it or not, he did. Another big hint, though it still left him in the dark, so to speak. He would see her upon leaving, meaning this mystery girl he had been preaching about was close.

"…Only five minutes left, Naruto."

Naruto's head snapped up. "What?"

The grin on Negato's face widened. "That's right. It's the final stretch, do or die. I hope you're prepared to dash her hopes. I suppose this will be the first time that you'll ever see her upset."

Naruto eyes widened. His thoughts ran wild. Could it really be…?

* * *

"You failed to keep your promise to your best friend, Obito. You couldn't keep Rin alive after he entrusted her to you." Takashi shook his head condescendingly.

Kakashi's gaze remained calm. "Are you finished yet? I tried to keep her alive, I really did, but we were involved deeply in the war, and she wasn't in my platoon on the mission she died in. You know that, so why are you trying to trudge through my past."

Takashi grumbled. "Are you denying the guilt you feel? The shame you feel towards your cowardly father for killing himself and leaving you all alone? The fact that you are the only one left alive from your old comrades?" He asked. He could tell he was the one being backed into the corner, and it wasn't fun.

"You may know everything about me, right down to the last thought I had before walking into here, but you aren't me." Said Kakashi, like a parent scolding a child. "I have made my resolve to keep on living in their memories, to learn from my mistakes and prevent what happened to them from happening again. You are determined to remain in the past, while I push on towards the future. You are nothing more than a coward."

"What?" Snapped Takashi. "You dare call me a coward? But I am you, so-"

"You are a shadow of my inner self. Nothing more." Kakashi gestured towards the shadow figure. "I learn from my mistakes, and I strive for the future. A being like you that latches onto every negative emotion I've ever felt knows nothing about this."

Takashi's jaw hung agape, and Kakashi knew this was his chance to deal the deciding blow.

"Now get out of here. You aren't breaking me. Yes, I feel bad that my friends died, but I carry them with me in my heart. They are my resolve, and I refuse to allow you to break it. That is not what they died for."

Takashi only stared at Kakashi for a few silent moments, before hanging his head in defeat. He raised a hand in surrender. "Okay, I get it. You're a pretty tough one to crack. Maybe I took the wrong approach, but I don't get a redo. It sucks, but you've beaten me. Congradulations." He snapped his fingers and tossed a short, metallic stick at Kakashi.

He caught it and examined it. "Is this what I came for?" Asked Kakashi.

Takashi nodded. "Yeah, don't worry. If everyone succeeds, then it will make sense." He said snapping his fingers, and the door behind Kakashi slowly creaked open. "I couldn't have any fun with you. Thanks for nothing."

Kakashi grinned. "Sorry, but I wasn't in the mood to play games. Farewell."

With that, Kakashi turned and walked out of the room, leaving a dissolving Takashi alone to dwell on his failure. He sighed. "Oh well, I guess this is how things were supposed to go, anyways."

Then he was gone, and the room was silent once more.

* * *

"Not much time left, I'm afraid." Reminded Kurosana. She tapped at Sakura's forehead mockingly. "Soon, you're going to be the let down of the others. But don't worry, all of the guys in Konoha will still be there for you to like them. Well, for another month and a half, anyways."

Sakura tried to swat the hand away, but her slap just passed harmlessly through the misty arm. "Shut up, I get it. You think I'm fickle. You've said it plenty of times. Just be quiet a minute."

Kurosana stopped her prodding and giggling, and paused. She tilted her head. "Why?"

"Because I'm trying to think." Replied the pink haired kunoichi.

Kurosana shrugged. "Whatever. It's your time if you want to waste it. You got five minutes."

Ignoring Kurosana, Sakura tried to focus. Was this the test, to wait her out without giving up? It wasn't impossible, but it didn't seem too plausible, and she wasn't willing to take that gamble. She kept mocking her, talking down to her repeatedly, and Sakura had tried to withstand it, but it was getting harder.

It was annoying, but Kurosana did have a point. She had been fickle. First it was Sasuke, and now it was Naruto. But wasn't that what it meant to be a teenage girl? To fall in and out of love? What was so wrong with that? But to be honest, it wasn't that Kurosana was mocking, it was the fact that she…..

That was it!

Sakura came out of her thought process and locked eyes with Kurosana. The surprised entity took a step back.

"What's up with you all of a sudden?" She asked.

Sakura smirked. "You think you know me so well, but you didn't really look too deeply into why I started liking Naruto. Sure, he's clumsy and stupid, but he's a good person, and he's full of potential."

" Yeah, but-"

"I'm not finished. " Continued Sakura. She was completely determined to take control of the conversation. "You never got onto me for liking Naruto, only for being fickle. And that means that I thought at one point I was fickle for switching my crushes."

Sakura took a bold step forward. This was it. No backing down now. "Listen to me, Kurosana. I'm going to like whoever the hell I feel like, and it's none of your business. But I won't just fall for anyone, I have standards. And I won't let anyone, especially someone like you, tell me otherwise." She finished, placing her hands on her hips.

Kurosana blinked a few times. She sighed, shaking her head. "In all honesty, I thought I had this one. You were just sitting there, taking all my criticism, so I guess I got cocky and let my guard down. I can tell you have found your resolve. I have lost to you."

Sakura smiled. "I will admit, it was getting to me at first, but then I remembered you were testing me. I tried finding the hidden meaning to your words, but I realized there wasn't one. It had to be a test directed at me, so I tried to analyze everything you said to me."

The entity shook her head again. "Man, I should have known you were doing that. I was just so sure I was winning." She tossed Sakura a small, metallic stick with a diamond tip. "Take it, you earned it." The door swung open. "Take it and go. I don't want to look at you anymore."

And with that, Sakura turned and left the room, hoping that everyone else had passed their tests.

* * *

If Naruto thought about it, for some reason, it made sense. Why didn't he think of it sooner? The person that would be upset, whom he had never seen upset enough to be angry. Not ever! And now that he thought about it, he did feel a strong desire to protect her from any misfortune, though he still didn't really understand why.

Obviously put off by this moment of silence, Negato tilted his head in confusion. "What are you doing? Have you given up? Is that what's going on?" He asked hopefully.

When Naruto's head rose to meet Negato's eyes, he could see something that looked a little like…realization? It couldn't be. "What?"

"You're talking about Hinata-chan, aren't you?" Asked Naruto.

A gasp escaped Negato. "Wow. I honestly…never expected you to make that connection. You're not as dumb as you look."

"But why would you be talking about Hinata-chan?" Asked Naruto. He seemed genuinely confused.

"Still not the sharpest tool in the shed. Though I can't really blame you. You haven't had much experience with the opposite sex." Conceded Negato.

"Answer me. Why would you bring Hinata-chan into this?" Now Naruto seemed a little angry. He was acting defensive over her again. This was just frustrating to Negato.

"If you can't figure it out in the next…sixty seconds, than I'm afraid you fail the game." Said Negato. Just a few more seconds, and he would be victorious.

Naruto took a bold step forward. "No, screw you and your game. Are you trying to get me to realize something? Is that it? Screw you, you bastard. Don't bring my precious friends into this. I would never do that, so why would you?"

"I'm you, and not you, remember?"

Nostrils flaring, Naruto continued his rant. "That's true, because I would never do that. You want an answer? Here's mine. I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm going to do it. I'll figure it out on my own. Not because you want me to, or because I have to to continue on my quest. I'm going to do it because I want to understand this feeling that I've never felt before. And if it's Hinata that causes me to feel this way, then I will…."Naruto fell silent, his eyes widening.

He felt like…like he had just recognized something. Something…important…about how precious Hinata was to him….

"Naruto." Came Negato's voice. Naruto's head snapped up and out of his thoughts. "Time's up."

Naruto's eyes widened. He had failed. Hinata was going to cry, and he was going to have to apologize to the entire village. All because he couldn't answer the question, because he was too stupid to realize what this feeling was.

"What now?" Asked a dejected and defeated Naruto. He felt like crying.

Negato sighed. "You leave."

Naruto nodded, he turned to leave, but the door didn't open. He heard Negato clear his throat, and Naruto turned back just in time to see a glowing, metallic object soar through the air. Naruto snatched it out of the air, and looked it over. It looked like a thick square with a chunk missing in the center. He glanced up confused at Negato. "What is this?"

"You're going to need it if you want to continue." Said Negato, smiling.

"Nani?" Asked Naruto. "But I thought I lost?"

Negato shook his head. "Nope. You just barely passed. That answer was good enough. You made your resolve, and I wasn't going to deter you." He gave Naruto one of his trademarked grins. "You passed with just three seconds left on the clock. Talk about cutting it close."

At a loss for words, all Naruto could do was laugh. He wiped the tears out of his eyes and smiled back at Negato.

"Thanks." Said Naruto.

Negato narrowed his brows. "For what?"

"I feel like I learned something because of you."

The dark entity smiled back as he began to fade away. He made a gesture, and the door slowly began to creak open. "Just don't forget what it is you learned. Trust me, knowing what you don't, you'll be much happier when you do figure it out." As Negato completely faded away into darkness, his voice echoed just once more, reverberating off the walls.

"Believe it."

* * *

Naruto returned to the bright, humongous room. His eyes winced as they tried to adjust to the light. The door slammed shut behind him, and vanished in an instant, leaving behind a bare wall. He stood gaping for a moment, before he heard his comrades calling for him.

He turned to see the others standing in the center of the room, by the large stone box. Naruto felt a rush of excitement. He could tell that everyone had succeeded. He raced over towards them, holding up his metallic slab. When he reached them, he locked eyes with Hinata, and the two of them averted their eyes away, a deep blush on each of their faces.

"I take it from your expression that you succeeded?" Asked Kakashi. Naruto nodded. "Good, so did the rest of us. We were getting worried about you, actually."

Naruto looked up at Kakashi. "What, you guys doubted the great Uzumaki Naruto?" He asked.

Sakura placed her hands on her hips. "Well, you were taking forever."

Embarrassed, Naruto rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Sorry, I got into a long argument with my other self."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Obviously." She said.

He saw a metallic stick in Sakura's grasp, and pointed at it. "Did you get that from your alternate self?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, everyone got something like this. What we're supposed to do with it, I'm not sure."

As if on cue, all four metallic shapes began to glow a deep cerulean blue. They lifted into the air, and drifted towards each other. In one, fluid motion, they all clashed into each other violently. In a flash, the four pieces had become one, taking the shape of a key.

It hovered in place for a moment, then fell, clattering onto the floor. Naruto was quick to scoop it up and look it over. The key wasn't too heavy, and there was no hint that it had ever been broken into four pieces.

"Looks like this is our ticket down." Said Naruto, handing the key to Kakashi.

Kakashi took it and led the rest around the large metal box. They came to the keyhole, and took a look at the others. "Get ready. We don't know what's going to happen when I put this in." They nodded, and Kakashi pushed the key into the box.

He turned it to the right, and there was a loud clinking sound. The box began to shake and the floor rumbled. The Konoha shinobi took a few steps back.

The box's walls began to sink slowly into the floor, revealing what looked like an elevator platform. A lone lever sat in the center of the platform. Kakashi stepped forward, examining the hidden structure.

"It looks like an elevator." Said Sakura.

Kakashi nodded. "It would seem so." He said. He approached the elevator platform, and extended his hand. He was met with a surge of electricity as a blue barrier flashed into existence before vanishing. Kakashi couldn't get through. He pulled his arm back quickly, looking down at it. "It would seem we can't get to it."

"Huh?" Asked Naruto. He quickly closed the distance and strode harmlessly onto the elevator platform. He glanced around, but no barrier appeared, nor any electricity. He hopped up and down, to test the weight of the platform. Nothing was wrong. He glanced up at Kakashi and the others. "Seems fine to me."

"Let me see." Said Sakura. She approached Naruto and passed through the barrier as well. She glanced around nervously. "What gives?" She asked.

Hinata extended her hand, but was met with the same shock Kakashi was. She quickly pulled her hand back as she squealed in surprise.

"Are you okay, Hinata-chan?" Asked Naruto quickly, his face gave away just how worried about her he was.

"Hai. I'm fine, Naruto-kun." Replied Hinata, happy that he was concerned.

Naruto nodded in relief before turning to Kakashi. "What's going on? Why can't you and Hinata-chan pass?"

The copy ninja thought for a moment. "It would seem that only the two of you can pass, since the gem is destined for Sakura, and you are the bearer of the map. It makes sense."

"Then what are we going to do?" Asked Sakura.

"Continue on without us. We'll wait here for you to return." Said Kakashi.

Naruto and Sakura exchanged a look and nodded. Naruto locked eyes with Kakashi. "We'll be right back."

"Good luck." He replied.

Sakura grabbed the lever and found that it was a little rusty. She had to use a great deal of force, but she managed to pull the lever back. There was a loud humming down below, and the sounds of gears turning. The elevator began to slowly descend into the floor.

"Be careful, Naruto-kun." Said Hinata softly, more to herself.

Little did she know that Naruto had heard her. Just before he disappeared through the floor, he gave her a warm smile and said, "I promise I'll come back, Hinata-chan. Don't worry."

She blushed, but smiled. Her heart was pounding in her chest. His smile was more genuine, this time, it seemed. She remembered what she had told her alter self earlier. She was so glad she was in love with Naruto.

The ride down was long and dark. Naruto was almost reminded of that dark realm from earlier, yet it was completely different. He was stuck in this small room with another person, in total darkness. He could just barely make out Sakura through the darkness.

"You still there, Sakura-chan?" He asked, just to make sure she was okay in this darkness.

"Yeah, Naruto. I'm fine, don't worry." She said, though she was glad he was worrying about her.

"How long do you think we've been going down?" He asked.

Sakura shrugged. "I'm not sure. It feels like it's been only a few minutes."

"How much longer do you think we have to go?"

"I'm not sure. I guess we just have to wait to find out."

There was a long silence that followed. The only sounds were those of the turning gears.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the elevator began to slow. The elevator came to a stop in a long, narrow, well-lit hallway. The hallway stretched as far as the eye could see. Flames danced on the torches lined down the walls. Naruto immediately wondered how they could stay lit for so long. Then again, after fighting a sea serpent and two alternate versions of himself, anything was possible.

He and Sakura silently pressed forward. It was a long trek, and they remained vigilant the entire time. For all they knew, they would run into a trap at any moment. After a straight thirty minutes of walking, Naruto couldn't hold in his complaints any longer.

"What is the point of this hallway? To test our patience or something?" He asked.

Sakura folded her arms across her chest. "Could be. We know absolutely nothing about this temple's structure. It could be another hour before we even get close to the stone." She paused as a thought came to mind. "Or this could be another test itself."

"Huh?" Asked Naruto.

"Think about it. What were the other tests in this temple?" Asked Sakura.

Naruto wasn't too sure where she was going with this, but she was the genius and he wasn't, so she must know what she's talking about. He thought hard.

"Well, we had to fight ourselves first. So…that was to prove our strength, I guess."

Sakura shook her head. "No, you idiot. We had to fight ourselves without our biggest flaw. It was a test to see if we were smart enough to adapt and win despite the odds."

Naruto nodded. That made sense. "Okay, so then the next test was another test against ourselves…and that one was to outsmart them."

"You're on the right track. I think it was more like we had to show we were intelligent enough to show our resolve, to not back down to a challenge." Replied Sakura.

Okay, so that made sense to. But where was she going with this? It was a test to see how smart they were, big deal. "So what?" Asked Naruto.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "I knew it was a long shot to expect you to understand." She chided. Naruto made a face at her, but she continued after decking him in the jaw. "Anyways…What I mean is that these tests have been designed to test different levels of our intelligence." She paused, glancing behind them. "If I had to guess, I would say that if we walked down that hallway we just came from, we would be walking forever, with no end in sight."

Something clicked in Naruto's head. He understood. "You think we're trapped in a genjutsu?" He asked.

She nodded. "I'd make a bet with Riyu on it." She said. She went over to the wall and pounded on it.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Checking for a secret switch or something. There must be a trick to getting out of here." She replied.

Naruto nodded, and went to the opposite wall. They checked for a few minutes, but no luck. Naruto shook his head, and went to stand next to Sakura. He thought for a moment. "Hey, I'm going to keep an eye on you as I walk backwards."

She turned to him, eyes narrowed in confusion. "Why?"

"I'm going to see if we're really in a genjutsu. If we get farther and farther away, but stay together, I'll know." He said as he began walking backwards.

Sakura shook her head. "Naruto, that makes no sense whatsoever. If we're in a genjutsu, it's going to keep playing with your mind. Of course you'll see me getting farther and farther away, baka." She said, turning back to the wall.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you're method is getting us somewhere. Let's just say that-"

"Waaah!" Yelled Naruto in surprise. He felt himself lose his footing after planting a foot down that had nothing to land on. Naruto fell backwards into a large pond of water. 'What the hell?' He asked himself. He quickly swam up to the top and gaped for air.

He saw Sakura glancing around nervously. "Naruto? What happened?" She asked.

"I fell into a pool of water!" He yelled. Where the water came from, he had no idea.

"Water?" Asked Sakura. She began running towards Naruto.

However, all that Naruto saw was Sakura running in place. He pulled himself out of the water and checked the map. Still dry. He put it back in his pouch and turned back to Sakura."Why are you just running in place like that?"

"I'm not you idiot! How far away are you?" She asked.

Naruto blinked his confusion. "Nani? I'm right here in front of you." He said.

"What? What are you talking about? I don't see you!" She paused, and stopped running. "Naruto, what were you doing when you fell into the water?" She asked.

"I was walking backwards. Why?" He answered.

Her eyes lit up. "Naruto, you're a genius."

Before Naruto could ask her what she meant, she spun around and began walking towards him backwards. It took her a few strides until she bumped into Naruto. She almost accidentally pushed him in the water again, but he caught her and she stopped walking in time. She spun around, smiling.

"We just had to walk backwards to go forwards." She cheered. "Who knew that you acting like an idiot would solve the puzzle?"

"What?" Asked Naruto. How did he solve the puzzle? He didn't do anything special.

Sakura shook her head. "It's best you don't know. Come on, let's go." She said, walking past him.

Naruto turned to see a dark room. Naruto grabbed a torch off the wall and used it to illuminate the path. Before them was a narrow bridge of stone. On either side was an almost endless pool of water, stretching into the darkness. Naruto whistled at the size and continued forward with Sakura. It was a short walk across the bridge, and then they came up to an alter.

The alter itself was solid gold. It reached up to around Naruto's waist, and hovering above it was the most beautiful red stone Naruto had ever seen. It was flawless, but no bigger than the palm of his hand. Surrounding the alter were two statues. One was of mighty dragon, standing on his hind legs and roaring ferociously. On the opposite side were two star crossed lovers, holding hands and weeping as they embraced.

Hanging above the stone was an engraving on the wall of a large orb with an arrow running through it. Naruto thought it was strange, and didn't understand the relevance, but he put that aside and returned his attention to the stone. He felt the map heat up in his pocket, and pulled it out.

"That must be it. The Ruby of Intelligence." Stated Sakura, totally captivated by the rock in front of her.

The map was glowing. Naruto quickly unfolded the map, and noticed that it got brighter the closer it got to the gem. Growing excited, Naruto reached for the stone.

Immediately, he felt a violent surge shoot through his body, and it blew him backwards and into the water with a loud splash.

"Naruto!" Yelled Sakura. She rushed over to his side, and extended her hand to pull him up to the shore. "Are you alright?" She asked.

Naruto coughed and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." He gripped her wrist, and used her to pull himself up to dry land. Once again, he checked the map to find it was still completely dry. "That was weird."

"Maybe only the one that was meant for the stone can touch it?" Stated Sakura.

Naruto nodded. "Makes sense to me."

They returned to the altar, and Sakura hesitantly reached out and touched the stone. Nothing happened for a moment. As they both heaved a collected sigh of relief, the gem began to glow. It grew hot in Sakura's hand, yet not hot enough to burn it.

The gem tugged Sakura's hand upwards, forcing her to let go of it. Naruto's map flew from his fingers and joined the red stone in the air.

"The Chosen has chosen! The Chosen has chosen!" Came a somewhat demonic whisper from the red stone. Naruto and Sakura exchanged a puzzled look before turning their attention back to the phenomenon.

The map shook violently, and a bright light concentrated on the tip of the stone, until a brilliant beam of light shot off of the tip of the ruby and struck the map. And suddenly, the light subsided. The gem and map slowly fell out of the air, and Sakura and Naruto caught their respective items.

Naruto looked the map over, searching for a difference. There! It was there. Over at Sunagakure. A new X was marked on the map at Suna! Under it was written 'Uzumaki Naruto' Next to an outline of a gem of some sort. Beneath the gem was the words 'Gem of Courage'. Naruto stared down at the new information, studying it in disbelief.

The next one was for him? And it was in Suna? That was a ways away….

"So, Naruto?" Asked Sakura.

Naruto realized she was eager to see the map as well, so he tilted it so that she could see as well. He pointed out the new location, and she gasped. "Suna? And it's for you?" She asked. Then she frowned.

"That seems…too convenient…." She muttered, as she fell into her thoughts.

Before Naruto could ask her what she meant, the temple began shaking violently. Sakura immediately stuffed her ruby into her pouch, and Naruto did the same with his map. The water from the pool began rising incredibly fast. Naruto and Sakura exchanged glances, nodded, and took off as fast as they could.

"This is either a failsafe, or the gem was giving this temple it's protection from the outside. Now that we've taken it, the temple's flooding. We have to get out of here, or we're dead!" Yelled Sakura.

"Don't gotta tell me twice!" Replied Naruto.

They barely made it across the bridge as the water filled the room. It chased them down the hallway at an incredible speed. They were barely able to outrun it.

"Is the elevator going to be fast enough?" Asked Naruto.

Sakura's eyes widened. "I don't think it is!" She said. "Damn it!"

The water continued to gush on at them, threatening to sweep them off their feet if they didn't get out quickly. It didn't take too long of straight sprinting for the elevator platform to come into view.

'But wait, Sakura said that it was going to go too slow. That means we won't be able to make it up to the next room soon enough. If we don't think of something we'll drown.' Naruto swore. There had to be another way of reaching the top.

Suddenly, he got an idea. He created a clone to run next to him, and created a Rasengan in the clone's palm. Naruto grabbed the clone by the chest, and hurled him at the elevator. The Rasengan smashed through the elevator, pressing it into the wall in a small explosion.

"What are you doing?" Yelled Sakura, eyes wide.

"Just trust me!" Naruto yelled back. They came to stand where the elevator had been. Naruto quickly glanced up, and saw a faint light in the distance. He nodded with confidence. He turned to Sakura, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Hold your breath." He ordered.

She obeyed without protest. It was the look in his eyes. They said he knew what he was doing, and that she had to trust him. They both took in a breath, and the water slammed into them. It was painful, and Naruto almost lost his breath, but his willpower refused to allow it.

Since they were so full of air, the water carried them upwards rapidly, up the elevator shaft and towards the room where Hinata and Kakashi were waiting. Naruto felt his lungs start to burn from how ling he was holding his breath, but it was still a faster ride than the elevator had been.

They burst through to the top of the shaft, and dodged to the side, escaping the water spout reached to the top of the ceiling. The room was starting to fill up with water much faster than Naruto anticipated. He coughed a bit as he pulled himself to his feet. He heard Hinata and Kakashi calling for him and Sakura.

Hinata rushed to his side, while Kakashi to Sakura's.

"Are you okay, Naruto-kun?" Asked Hinata quickly. Her eyes darted all over him, checking for any injury he may have sustained.

Naruto nodded. "I'm fine, Hinata-chan. Thanks." He looked over at Kakashi and Sakura, now on her feet and panting for air. "We have to get out of here as fast as possible. This entire place is flooding!"

Kakashi nodded. He and Sakura rushed over to Naruto's side.

"What did you guys do down there?" Asked Kakashi.

Naruto shook his head. "We'll explain later. If we don't hurry-"

Suddenly, the water spout became more violent, and the ceiling gave way. Water poured like a waterfall into the large room. Without saying a word, the Konoha ninja pushed as much chakra into their legs as they could, and ran for their lives, with a deadly force chasing closely behind them.

* * *

"And you became the Hokage because of your wife?" Asked Riyu, his head tilted in curiosity. Really, this was his dream, and the more he learned, the more questions he had. He was also surprised that Minato wasn't getting mad at him. If anything, Riyu could feel that there was something he wanted to know about Riyu, but never asked.

Also, Kiba had already awoken. He was still a little out of it, but he was conscious and functioning, so he wasn't a concern anymore. Riyu had informed him of his defeat, and Kiba looked dejected. He pitied him, since he had saved his ass earlier in the week.

Minato nodded. "Yeah, she pressed me because of how strong I was, and how passionate about the village I was." He paused for a moment, and then his gaze grew more serious. "Now Riyu, I hope you don't mind, but I have a few questions for you."

Riyu blinked. This was a first. He nodded. Honestly, he couldn't tell his idol no, could he?

"How did you and Naruto become friends?" He asked.

"Oh, we met around the age of four. Naruto had just turned four, I guess. He shares his birthday with the Kyuubi attack, you know?" Said Riyu.

Minato nodded, eyes lowered. "Yeah…I know."

"Anyways, I saw him crying, so I gave him some ice cream. We've been friends ever since." Said Riyu.

Minato nodded. "Interesting. So how has he been, growing up I mean?"

Riyu shrugged. "Well, people all kinda hated him because he was the Kyuubi and all. But I don't really understand it. I mean, you sealed it away into Naruto to save the village, didn't you?" Riyu asked.

Minato nodded. "Yes, I had intended for Naruto to be viewed as a hero who had saved the village from certain destruction."

"Yeah! I mean, if anything, everyone should be grateful that Naruto is the host of Fluffy!"

"Fluffy?" Asked Minato.

"That's what I call Kyuubi. According to Naruto, that fox can hear me, and it pisses it off every time I call it that." Replied Riyu, grinning.

Minato chuckled. "You've got guts, kid. Taunting a demon like that is not something I would do if I were you."

Riyu shrugged. "Naruto's got it in check, so I'm not worried about it ever coming to get me."

Minato smiled, and then his gaze grew serious again.

"So, I can't help but notice that necklace you're wearing around your neck." He said.

Riyu's hand went to his necklace. "This? Yeah, apparently it's an old family heirloom That I got from my parents."

Minato nodded. "And how are Dana and Koji doing?"Asked Minato.

Riyu tilted a brow in confusion. "Who?"

"You're parents." Replied the Yondaime.

"My parents?" Riyu asked. He paused for a moment, then his eyes lit up in wonder and realization. "You knew my parents?" He asked.

Minato opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by shouts and rumbling. Everyone turned to the hallway Naruto and the others had left down.

Naruto was leading the others, sprinting like bats out of hell, being chased by a relentless stream of water. Kiba and everyone else sprang to their feet.

"What the hell is going on?" Asked Kiba. Akamaru weakly barked.

"Run!" Yelled Naruto. "Turn around and run!"

Riyu took a look at the Hokage, hoping that he would tell him more before he had to leave. Minato sighed and said, "Sorry. Now go!" He ordered. Riyu was forced to give up. He and the other's rushed passed Minato, and through the archway.

Down the long hallway they went, until they came upon the pond that led to the waterslide. It was a dead end. Water was rushing up behind them, and they were trapped.

"Naruto!" Yelled Kakashi. Naruto snapped to Kakashi's attention. "Mass produce your shadow clones, make a lot of Rasengans, and aim for that wall!" He ordered, pointing to the wall above the water pond.

Naruto nodded, and quickly produced as many as he could fit into the room. They spun about fifty rasengans, took hold of one another, and launched them at the wall. They all slammed violently against the concrete slabs, and with a massive explosion, the wall began to give way.

"Yes!" Yelled Naruto in celebration.

"Everyone, hold your breath. Swim for the surface when the water takes you! Don't let it take you too deep!" Yelled Kurenai.

Everyone did so, and Naruto looked at Hinata, trying to reassure her with his eyes that everything was going to be okay. She nodded, and closed her eyes. The wall completely gave way, and the water gushed in through the hole in the wall.

The next thing Naruto knew, the water was upon them. The two streams of water sandwiched the Konoha ninjas, and it was all that they could do to hold their breaths.

The stream of water was greater than the one pouring in, so it carried them out through the hole in the wall. Naruto struggled to right himself, to remind himself not to gasp for air. Suddenly, his thoughts went to the others. What about Kiba and Akamaru? Would they be fine? What about Hinata?

The water stream pushed them along rapidly until it finally dumped them off deep into the ocean. Naruto and the others began to swim upwards quickly. Naruto saw that Kakashi had dived down to retrieve Kiba and Akamaru. He grabbed them, and pushed himself up quickly. Naruto took one last look at the temple, and watched it crumble under the water pressure. Naruto turned, and swam quickly up to the surface.

Upon breaking the surface, Naruto took in a gulp of air. He panted for air for a moment, and then glanced around. The sun was still up, but only just. It seemed like it was getting ready to set. Were they down there for that long?

Suddenly, his thoughts turned to worry. Was everybody up? Was everyone still alive?

Yes. Everyone was up. Everyone had made it. They were all floating safely in the ocean. They weren't too far away from the island; it was probably a five minute swim. Naruto sighed in relief.

"Hey, Naruto!" Yelled Riyu. Naruto spun around to see his red friend swimming towards him. "You think we're ever going to get out of a temple without completely destroying it?" He asked.

Naruto couldn't help himself and he burst out laughing. He wasn't just laughing at Riyu's joke, he was laughing because he was happy everyone had gotten out. Happy that he had learned something important down there. And especially happy that they had managed to secure one of the stones. His goal wasn't so far out of reach anymore.

And as they all began their swim towards the island, which they would wait at until the boat returned for them later on that day, Naruto couldn't help but think with excitement.

One down. Three to go.

* * *

(Author Notes) There we go. I combined two chapters into one, just for you guys. I hope you're happy, because my fingers aren't.

Just so you all know, the main reason this chapter took so long was writers block. I knew what I wanted to do, but not what happened in between. I couldn't decide if I just wanted them to get done quickly, retrieve the stone, and get out, or have this intricate test waiting for them in the temples. Then of course I got lost in the creation of the tests, and it eventually became this big headache, so I just stepped back for a while and decided to focus on other projects. I didn't mean to leave you all hanging for so long, it just happened. Time flew, and I'm sorry.

I can promise, without a shadow of a doubt, that I'm not leaving you guys waiting for long any longer. Seriously this time. This is excellent practice for writing my novel.

Preview: With the stone found, our heroes move onto the next location. Suna. But how are they going to get there? A shortcut presents itself, and thoughts are explored. But is this shortcut reliable? Or is this too good to be true?

I'd like to give a special shout out to my driving force. Without you, I would not have accomplished this chapter. That's right…I love you NOS energy drinks.

Beta read by Obloquious

Please review. If I get 5, I promise a swift reward.


	25. Ch 24 An Ill Fated Voyage

Hey guys. What, surprised that I updated? That's cold.

**Disclaimer:** Riyuto-san does not own Naruto. He owns Riyu and Zulku, despite their best efforts.

* * *

**Chapter 25: An Ill-Fated Voyage**

"So, how did it go?" Asked Inari eagerly. He had been waiting for them to return off of the pier of his house. After a long while, he finally them coming towards him via a boat, and he felt a rush of relief. They all had looked so tired, and were all soaking wet.

Naruto helped Kakashi and the rower secure the boat to the dock as everyone else disembarked. Riyu glanced down at Inari and gave him a thumbs up. "No problem. Piece of cake."

Inari blinked. "Really? Did you guys get that gem thing?" He asked.

Sakura elbowed Riyu in the ribs, who recoiled painfully, lost his balance, and tumbled into the water. Naruto laughed as he tightened the rope to the pole.

"It was easy for Riyu, he barely did anything." Said Sakura.

Riyu bobbed his head up out of the water and glared at Sakura. "I was just starting to get dry!" He yelled.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "You'll get over it." She turned back to Inari and pulled the red ruby from her pouch. It emitted a faint glow, but it too, along with Naruto's map, was completely dry.

Inari's eyes grew wide as he gaped at the stone. "You guys really found it…."He said, amazement in his voice.

The kunoichi nodded her head with a smile. "Yep. Is your mom home? I'm beat." She asked.

Inari nodded, and led the others into the house, where they would tell stories of the temple, and eat and dry their clothes. Inari's mom had made a small feast for the tired shinobi. She knew they would come back hungry, and Naruto barely got off a thank you before tearing into his food.

Sakura chewed him out for it, but his antics earned only a giggle from the young Hyuuga heiress.

This caught Naruto's eye, who started eating slower, now conscious that he was being watched by Hinata. He didn't want to look like an idiot in front of her…but why?

* * *

A few hours after the celebrations, Naruto and the others decided to turn in. Inari wasn't too happy with that decision, but they planned to be on their way the next morning, and they taxed so much of their energy, they needed the rest.

Naruto collapsed into his bed. He pulled his boots off and slung his jacket off and onto the floor. He didn't really feel like he had the energy to do much else but pull his blanket up and over his chest. He exhaled slowly but deeply, and closed his eyes.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fall asleep. What Negato had told him was really bugging him. Sure, he had sounded so determined to discover what he was talking about, but it was easier said than done. He had never dealt with something like this. It had always been so simple; get a mission, accomplish the mission, beat up the bad guy, save the day. This was something completely different.

The more he tried to think about it, the more frustrated he got, so he abandoned his efforts for tonight before he got a headache from it. There would be plenty of time to figure it out, anyways. Naruto's thoughts drifted over towards his Map of Destiny. It was now indicating that the next stone was for him. First it was Sakura, and now him. Was there a pattern to the choices the map made?

Sunagakure. That was their next destination. How would they get there? It had taken two weeks to reach the first temple. Sure, they had liberated a small village, but that had taken precious time off of the clock. Naruto shook his head. It was worth it. He would do it again if he could.

He then remembered that he had friends in Sunagakure. He wondered how Gaara was doing. Then sleep began to overtake him. The last thing he consciously thought of was Hinata's giggle at dinner, and that put a smile on his face. Then sleep overtook him.

* * *

Sakura pounded violently on Riyu's door. "Riyu! Wake up! Everyone else is already ready, you good for nothing lazy bastard!" She yelled angrily. "Do you want me to break this door down again and drag you out?"

Naruto yawned as he walked down the hallway, fresh from his morning shower. He stopped short of Sakura's angry rant against Riyu.

"Five more minutes!" Shouted Riyu's muffled voice. His head was under a pillow again. Naruto laughed.

Sakura shot him an angry look. "It's not funny, Naruto." She snapped. "Riyu, I'm going to count to three. If you aren't out of there fully dressed and packed, I'm breaking through and beating you to a pulp!"

"I'd like to see you try! You're not my mom!" Tempted Riyu.

"One…"Warned Sakura.

"Good luck."

"Two…"

"Wait…Sakura…" Riyu's voice sounded full of panic.

"Three." Sakura pulled her fist back.

The door suddenly swung open, revealing Riyu's red shirt thrown on backwards, and his backpack thrown over his shoulder. However, despite Riyu being completely ready to go, Sakura's fist was already in full swing.

She slammed it into Riyu's face, sending him flying back into his room and against the wall. Riyu grabbed his head in pain, rolling around. "What was that for? I made it out, didn't I?"

Sakura smirked. "I know." She said before walking off.

"Bitch." Muttered Riyu. Only Naruto heard him, and he let off a good laugh. Riyu finally noticed Naruto standing there and grinned. "You ready to go?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, just gotta get my stuff out of my room and I'm good to go." He paused. "You're shirts on backwards, by the way."

Riyu glanced down and swore. "It wouldn't have been if a certain someone hadn't rushed me." He grumbled. He quickly righted his shirt, gathered his backpack, and came up to Naruto. "Let's get going. The sooner we're out of here, the better."

Naruto nodded.

* * *

"Do you guys really have to leave already?" Asked Inari. "You just got here."

The entire group had gathered outside of the house. Inari, Tazuna, and Tsunami had grouped to say their goodbyes to the Konoha ninja.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. I wish we could stay longer, but we have something important to do. I promise I'll come back for a visit after we're done." He said, smiling down at Inari.

He was doing his best not to cry in front of everyone. "You promise?" He asked, trying not to sound too desperate.

Naruto gave him a thumbs up. "I promise."

Kakashi bowed to Tazuna and Inari's mom. "Thanks again for allowing us to stay here a few nights."

Inari's mom bowed back. "Oh no, it was our pleasure. Do make sure to stop by again if you have business in the region."

Kakashi nodded, and everyone finished saying their goodbyes. Before long, they turned and walked away from the house, and off towards their next objective.

Inari sniffled. His mom smiled down at him. "Don't worry, Inari. You'll see them again.

He nodded. "I know."

* * *

"Neh, Kakashi-sensei. Can I ask you something?" Asked Naruto, just about an hour and a half into the days walk. Not much had happened since leaving the Wave Country. Crossing the bridge had been much easier (much to Naruto's dismay; he really wanted to beat someone up again), and it was a beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky. He had been checking and rechecking the map repeatedly all day. Just thinking about the distance from Suna to where they were was killing him inside.

"Yes, Naruto?" Replied the silver haired ninja, turning his head behind to glance at Naruto.

"Why can't we just run for it? I mean, Suna's kind of far away, right? Wouldn't it make sense if we just ran for a little while?" He asked hopefully.

Kakashi shook his head, sighing. That wasn't good. "No, not this time, Naruto. I wish we could, though. We could be there in a week at that pace. But remember, Kiba and Akamaru are still injured from their battle in the temple."

Naruto glanced back at Kiba. He looked like he was in pain, trying to walk. He couldn't blame him. He had taken a pretty good beating just yesterday. No matter how much Kiba tried to play it off, he wasn't fooling anyone. Hinata was trying to help him along, her arm under his to help support his weight. He wasn't sure why, but this made his insides churn, and he found himself wishing he had been hurt like Kiba was. Maybe he would get that kind of attention from her.

Riyu had been kind enough to carry Akamaru in his arms. The dog made no complaints, and Riyu refrained from insisting that he hated dogs, especially one that bit him for no reason. Riyu actually looked like he felt sorry for Akamaru as he gently stroked the top of his head.

A sigh escaped Naruto's lips. "Yeah, I know. I just wish there was an easier way, you know? It's going to take us forever to get to the second gem, and we still have two more to go after that one!"

"Naruto's right, Kakashi." Said Kurenai. She increased her pace to match Kakashi's stride. She too was holding her own map of the region. "We cannot afford to waste time."

Kakashi raised a brow at her. "And what do you suppose we do, then?" Asked Kakashi. The way he spoke suggested that he knew Kurenai had an idea.

She held up her map so Kakashi could see. Kurenai pointed at a large body of water stretching around the land. "We could cut across the ocean. If we simply sailed straight through instead of walking all the way around it, we could reach Suna in five days."

Naruto's eyes lit up. He liked the sound of this plan. "Five days? Sounds good to me!" He exclaimed, looking up at Kakashi hopefully.

The copy ninja folded his arms across his chest in thought. "Yes, I see what you mean. And we could have an opportunity to get our strength back from the temple." He paused. "And if I recall, there is a ship yard not too far from here."

"How far away is it?" Asked Sakura from Naruto's side.

"About an hour or so." Replied Kakashi. "I've never met the man that runs the place, but I'm sure we can talk him into a deal."

"All right! What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Cheered Naruto.

* * *

The ship yard wasn't as large as Naruto thought it would be.

Sure, it was fairly large, but Naruto was expecting something a little grander. There was one large building that began on the shoreline and went a little ways into the ocean. Naruto figured that's where the much larger boats were stored. Around that was a cluster of smaller buildings, and a dock that extended far into the ocean.

The bay itself was amazing. Palm trees danced in the wind along the coast, and the breeze felt incredible to the young shinobi.

Several boats or different sizes floated alongside the dock, tied down for the day. Kakashi led the group to the large building and around. They went up a flight of rickety wooden stairs. With each step he took, the steps creaked louder and louder. It was kind of creepy, but Naruto tried not to think too much about it. This place was old, though. He was sure of it.

At the top of the steps, Kakashi turned to a door and knocked politely. There was a slight thump from inside the room, followed by footsteps until the door was practically pulled off its hinges. The man who opened the door eyed the strangers suspiciously.

He seemed to be a middle aged man. Streaks of grey nestled into his dark black hair. He wore an old, raggedy white shirt with tan shorts. His grey beard was puffy and clearly unkempt. He also reeked of fish, which made Naruto want to gag. Naruto heard Riyu stifle a cough.

"What do you want?" Asked the old man. It was obvious he was either nuts, or he didn't trust anyone. "Didn't you see the sign? We're closed!"

"Sign?" Asked Kakashi calmly. Naruto knew immediately Kakashi was going to do his best to sweet talk the old man into changing his attitude. "There was no sign up anywhere."

The old man raised a brow and blinked rapidly. "Really? You sure? You aren't lying to me, are you?" He asked.

Kakashi kindly shook his head. "No, I can assure you I am not lying."

The old man looked Kakashi over repeatedly, and then seemed to notice everyone else standing there as well. His beady eyes grew narrow as he looked over his other guests. "Must have been those damn storms. They attack me relentlessly, you know? Those storm Gods."

Naruto blinked. "Storm Gods?" He asked.

The old man locked eyes with Naruto and nodded so vigorously Naruto was afraid his head was going to pop off. "Yes. Those Storm Gods are just jealous of me, that's why they keep trying to run me out of business. But I showed them! Why, just today I'm shipping a lot of goods to Sunagakure, and no Storm God is going to stop me."

Sakura tilted her head. "I thought you said you were closed?" She asked.

His head snapped over to Sakura, and his creepy gaze came to rest on her. She shuddered as their eyes met. "Did I? Oh well. I just don't need extra work right now. I'm shorthanded. I can't any other jobs today, no no no. Gotta steer that ship myself."

"Did you say that the ship is heading for Suna?" Asked Kurenai.

He nodded. "Yep, indeed I did. Man, I can't get anything past any of you freaks, huh?"

"Freaks?" Muttered Riyu softly to himself. "Us?"

"Sir, may I ask you a question?" Said Kakashi.

The sea breeze picked up a little as the old man turned to Kakashi now. "Indeed you may."

"What kind of ship are you taking to reach Sunagakure?" He asked.

"Oh, just my pride and joy. The largest ship I own. It's all already packed away and ready to go. I was just about to head out myself, actually, until you troublemakers showed up." He replied.

"It just so happens that we're in search of a ship that will take us to Suna. Would you be so kind as to allow us to accompany you on your voyage." Asked Kakashi, as smooth as he could.

The old man's face fell flat into a fit of stubbornness. "No." He snorted, turned, and slammed the door shut.

The ninja exchanged a confused glance.

Kakashi knocked on the door again. Footsteps were heard, and then the door swung open again. His expression was hopeful, and then it was dashed. "What are you all still doing here? I thought I sent you away hours ago."

Kakashi seemed a little stunned for a moment. "Err…yes. I was hoping that maybe, if you allowed me to explain our situation, you might just reconsider?"

"Reconsider what?"

"Allowing us to ride with you to Sunagakure." Replied Kakashi.

"Hmm…." Thought the old man. He turned and began murmuring a conversation to himself.

Naruto and Riyu exchanged a look of _'are you kidding me?_' quickly before turning back to the old man.

He spun around and said, "You may explain." He said, as if he were some kind of royalty.

"Yes, thank you." Began Kakashi. He then told the old man about their mission, and how they must reach Sunagakure must sooner than they would be able to by foot. Throughout the explanation, the old man simply stroked his beard and nodded.

After Kakashi finished, the man spoke. "Yes, I see. It does kind of make sense, I suppose." He suddenly stopped, and his eyes widened. "You said you were Konoha Shinobi?" He asked.

Kakashi nodded.

"And that you are Hatake Kakashi, the Copy ninja?" He asked.

Again, Kakashi nodded. "Yes."

"And you also said you like to go skinny dipping in the rivers of your village?" He asked excitedly.

Kakashi blinked a few times, almost too stunned for words. Heck, Naruto and the others were completely stunned. This guy was off his rocker.

Kakashi shook his head. "No, I never said that."

"Oh, that must be me that likes to do that then. It makes sense. Seeing as I used to do that. It's kind of the reason I'm not allowed back in Konohagakure anymore. Too many frightened children. Bah!" He spat at the end.

"Umm…sir, about the ride?" Prodded Kakashi.

"Oh, right, right. Yes, give me a second." The door slammed shut as he retreated into his office.

"Kakashi-sensei….This guy is nuts." Said Naruto. "Are we really going to travel with him to Suna?"

Kakashi sighed. "If he can get us to Sunagakure, than I think we can all put up with him for a few days."

"Yeah, but what if he tries to do something weird to us while we're out at sea?" Asked Naruto.

"I'm with Naruto!" Chimed in Riyu. He pointed over towards the boats. "I say we just jack one when he isn't looking."

Kurenai scowled at him. "Don't be a fool, Riyu. We don't need to burn any bridges. This is his livelihood, his way of making money. We cannot take that away from him."

"But what if he tells us no?" Countered Naruto. "If he says no, we're stuck on foot, and we might not get all four gems in time to save the village!"

"Riyu, if it comes to him saying no, then we may very well have to steal a ship." Said Kakshi.

"Kakashi!" Scolded Kurenai.

Before Kakashi could say anything else, the door flew open for the third time. The old man came out holding a letter in his hand. "Sorry, I was going through my things looking for this when I got distracted by a book. Anyway, I received this from your super sexy Hokage a few days ago. She told me to lend you a hand in any way, shape, or form if I am able."

Finally, Naruto had hope that they were going to succeed here.

"That's great. Then, my good man, can you grant us passage on your ship to Sunagakure?" Asked Kakashi.

The old man nodded several times. "I don't see why not. Heck, if I do this for you, the Hokage might just let me come back into the village every once in a while. I haven't seen her since she was a young lady, you know? She used to smack me around for following her all the time. Good times." He paused for a moment, getting lost in what Naruto could only guess as a painful memory that he enjoyed for some reason.

"So can we go with you on your boat or not?" Asked Riyu. Sakura nudged him sharply in the ribs, hissing at him to shut his mouth. Naruto noticed that Sakura was being especially mean towards Riyu lately. He was going to have to ask about it later.

"Yes, my boy. Actually, I'll do you one better." Began the crazy old man. "I'm going to give you the ship."

"Pardon?" Asked Kakashi.

"Yes, I'll let you lot have my ship for your little trip. That way, my goods get shipped, and I can still run business here. All I ask is that you return my ship the way it left, and you can travel for free."

Kakashi jumped at the sound of the idea. "Yes, thank you so much sir."

The old man nodded in approval of himself. "Yes, you are very much welcome. Well, come on; let me show you to the ship."

* * *

"This here is my pride and joy, the _Tsutanai IV_." Said the old man, who Naruto now knew him as Sudou, as he led them into the base of the large building. Inside sat quite possibly the largest ship Naruto had ever seen.

It stretched all the way to the end of the dock, and it was plenty wide as well. It could easily hold hundreds, if not thousands, of people comfortably. And he was just giving it to them? He either was really crazy, or he was too trusting. Either way, Naruto felt relieved that they were heading for Suna in style.

Riyu eyed the large _TSUTANAI IV_ painted on the side of the boat. Any man who would willingly name his boat unlucky had to be bat-shit insane. Riyu tried not to think about what happened to the other three boats that came before this one.

"It sure is a grand ship, Sudou-san." Complimented Kakashi.

Sudou beamed like a child receiving praise from his father. "Of course she is. Not a finer ship out there on the sea, I guarantee it. But if someone else says that their ship is better, just know they're dirty liars." Said Sudou.

He led them over to a ramp that led to the side of the boat. They climbed a few steps so that they could reach the bridge that led to the entrance of the ship. As Naruto and the others came onto the deck, he felt like he had underestimated the size of the ship earlier.

It was much larger now that he was standing on it. From the bow to the stern was a great distance to walk, and it was so clean as well. That crazy old man must have been polishing it every day for who knows how long. There were large, tied down barrels strapped down as well. Crates of different sizes littered the sides of the ship, and Naruto knew that had to be some of the cargo they were delivering.

Sudou limped over to a crate and padded it affectionately. "This here is a small portion of what's really heading to Suna. The rest of it is down in the hull. Now, I only have a few rules for you, so pay attention. 1, do not steal any of this cargo. 2, do not steal my ship, I expect it back when you're finished with it. 3, do not crash my ship, or else I will be very angry. 4, keep it as clean as you found it, and finally, the most important rule. 5, do not anger the sea gods. I swear, insult them one time and they make it their mission in life to kill you." He paused and threw his fist into the air. "It's been almost thirty years now, you sons of bitches. Still haven't killed me yet! Hahahaha!"

A brief silence fell over the crew, but Riyu was the one to break it. "Hey, what are we supposed to do about food, old man?" He asked.

Sudou shook his head knowingly. "Ah, youthful arrogance. It's okay, strange child, there are plenty of rations in the cabin." He pointed to a door on the far side of the ship. "Through that door and it's the second left. Try not to eat it all, tubby. You must share or it isn't going to last."

Riyu's eye twitched. "Tubby?" He asked to himself. Sakura tried not to laugh.

Ignoring Riyu's frustration, Sudou turned his attention back to Kakashi. "I take it you know how to steer a ship properly?" He asked.

Kakashi nodded. "Yes, I have been taught well."

Sudou nodded in satisfaction. His eyes shot over towards Hinata, and he quickly slid his way over to his side, much to the annoyance of Kiba and Naruto. Naruto didn't like him getting anywhere near her.

"Girlie, if I were you, I would stay away from these ruffians."

"Ano…sorry?" She asked timidly.

The old man shook his head apologetically. "I wouldn't trust any of these men aboard this ship if I were you. You're far too pretty, and they'll try to take advantage of you and do things to you. Don't drop your guard. You may be alone as a young female, but try to survive." He advised, nodding to himself in approval. Hinata, on the other hand, wore a large blush on her face.

Naruto wasn't exactly sure why, but he wanted to punch Sudou just for getting near her. What was this emotion? And when did it start showing up exactly? How was he supposed to control it?

Sakura looked offended. "What about me, Sudou-san?" She asked as girlishly as she could.

Sudou glanced her over at her and nodded. "Don't worry, young man. I'm sure you'll be fine."

Sakura's eyes widened in shock, then in anger. Riyu, on the other hand, was laughing so hard he was rolling on the floor of the ship. Naruto was sure Sakura was going to storm up and punch the old man's head clean off.

However, she dropped her shoulders and walked away dejectedly, muttering "young man?" repeatedly.

"I'm sure he didn't mean it, Sakura-chan." Naruto said, trying to reassure her. It really didn't help much. She sent him a death glare as if he had called her a young man. He backed off immediately.

Sudou conversed with Kakashi a little more, informed him more about the layout of the ship, warned him to be careful of jagged rocks sticking out of the sea, and to not piss off any sea gods. Kakashi listened, but Naruto could tell that Kakashi was starting to get fed up with this crazy old man. He couldn't blame him, really.

About an hour later, all of the preparations were set, and everyone was ready. The boat had been pushed into the open harbor, and the sails had been put down. Sudou sent them off, and Kakashi thanked him.

The ship's sails caught hold of the strong breeze, and before any of them knew it, they were sailing the seas, leaving Sudou behind on the shore, waving goodbye to them until they disappeared into the distance.

Suddenly, Sudou froze. He just remembered something vital. At the top of his lungs, he shouted, "I almost forgot! Rule number 6, beware of the pirates! They will definitely try and steal the cargo!" He paused. Then said to himself. "Yeah, I'm sure they heard me." Before turning around and heading back for his office upstairs.

* * *

Manning the boat wasn't going to be a full time chore, not at the moment anyways. It wasn't that kind of ship. Not as long as the weather stayed as nice as it was. Kakashi had told Naruto and the others to locate the bedrooms Sudou had told them about. Naruto and Riyu gladly accepted the job, and were quick to find the rooms. They were just past the cabin that held the food. There were three rooms in total. They were all identical to each other.

They all had two beds, side by side. There were also a few hammocks not put up lying on the floor. Riyu went into a room and threw himself onto a bed. "I call dibs!" He said.

Naruto nodded and plopped himself down on the other bed. "I have to admit, this is pretty awesome." He said. He was just so glad that they were going to be in Suna in a matter of days.

The red ninja nodded. "Yep. Life is good. For now, anyways."

The two ninja fell silent. The only sounds were the creaking of the ship, and the ship cutting through the sea. Naruto sat up and leaned over on the edge of his bed. He had been itching to share with Riyu what had happened in the temple, but hadn't found any good chances. Now, however, was the perfect chance.

"Neh, Riyu." Said Naruto nervously. Usually, he had been able to talk to Riyu about anything and everything. This, however, was a little different than the usual stuff, and it made Naruto cautious.

Riyu sat up and tilted his head. "What's up?"

Naruto immediately began to pour information. About what happened after they parted ways in the temple, and about his other self, and about the feeling that had been welling up in his chest lately. "And now it won't stop bugging me. I don't know what this feeling is, and it's driving me up a tree."

Riyu nodded, feigning ignorance. He knew exactly what Naruto was talking about. He wasn't as dense as Naruto. It made Riyu excited, to say the least. After years of Naruto being the biggest idiot he had ever known, he was finally starting to have feelings for Hinata. But why was he being so stupid with the answer right there in front of his face? Riyu had to know more.

"So what do you think he meant by it all?" Asked Riyu.

Naruto shook his head. "I dunno. I keep trying to think about it, but I wind of giving myself a headache."

"Hmm…this seems serious." Commented Riyu. He reached down nonchalantly and pulled a notebook out of his pocket. He opened it and flipped to today's date. Damn it! Today still wasn't his day. It was Asuma-sensei's. Swearing silently, he slid the notebook back into his pocket without Naruto noticing. "But I think I have an idea of what he was talking about." A little hint couldn't hurt anything.

Naruto's eyes lit up as he locked eyes with Riyu. "Really? What?"

Riyu felt a lot of pressure coming from his blond friend. He almost caved and just told him bluntly that he had feelings for Hinata, but he couldn't do that, for various reasons. "I can't really tell you, Naruto. That would defeat the purpose."

Naruto sighed in frustration. "That's exactly what he said." He complained.

"But he was right. Naruto, if you don't figure it out for yourself, then it loses meaning." Riyu said, then he paused after seeing Naruto's dejected expression. "However, I can give you a hint, I guess."

Naruto's eyes lit up.

Riyu smirked. "It'll cost you, though." He said, half jokingly.

A sigh escaped Naruto's lips as he tossed Riyu a few zeni coins. "Greedy bastard." Said Naruto jokingly.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Said Riyu, pocketing the money. "Okay, so just think about this. Remember when you used to like Sakura?" Naruto nodded. "Okay, do you remember the feeling exactly?" Again, Naruto nodded, now thinking hard. "Now, this feeling is something completely different, right?" For the third time, Naruto nodded. "Good, now all you need to do is make the connection as to why this feeling is different from before."

Naruto stared at Riyu blankly. "That's it?"

He nodded. "That's all you're getting."

Naruto sighed, and decided to change the topic. Then he remembered what he wanted to ask earlier. "Hey, Riyu. What's going on between you and Sakura-chan?"

"Huh?" Asked Riyu.

"She seems to be really mad at you lately. What gives?"

"Naruto, she's always hated me. Remember, I kept telling you that she was a she devil, right in front of her? And she would always beat me up for it?" He asked, as if this were basic information.

"I know, but lately she's gotten…more violent, I guess. What did you do to piss her off like that?" Questioned Naruto.

"Hmm…I think it has something to do with the bet." Pondered Riyu aloud.

"Which bet?" Asked Naruto. Riyu had so many little bets going on with everyone; it was hard to keep count. Hell, he never even shared what the money he won was for. No matter how many times Naruto would ask, he wouldn't answer. He would just tell him it was a surprise.

"The one about you and Hi-"Riyu caught himself, almost too late. That was a close one. He slapped his hand over his mouth.

"What bet?" Prodded Naruto, leaning forward even more.

Riyu swore. "Uhh…what? A bet?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Yeah. A bet about me and something else."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I heard you Riyu! It was me and something else! It started with an H. What, is it?" Demanded Naruto.

Suddenly, Riyu sprung to his feet and poked his head out the door. "What's that Kakashi-sensei? You need my help! I'm on my way!" And then he was gone, sprinting down the hallway.

Naruto just sat there, even more confused than earlier.

* * *

I meant to post this up immediately, but things don't always go as planned. This has been sitting around for a while now, and I don't want to leave you guys hanging like I did a long time ago. So I broke up the chapter into two parts. It's split right down the center. Don't worry, the next one is already halfway done.

To be honest, I got caught up in the writing of my first novel. It's gotten to be very fun, and I'm constantly doing research and writing it. If it ever gets published (and I hope and pray it will) who would want a copy? I mean, this is just me being optimistic, but I can't help but get excited about it.

It's thanks to this site. I use it as a test to improve my writing abilities. And it's thanks to all of you guys. Your continued support despite my lazy (selfish) writing behavior is above and beyond.

And yes, I will finish this story. We still got a ways to go, anyway.

**Preview:** What was supposed to be a simple cruise proves to be anything but when the Konoha ninja's are overrun by pirates, seeking the ship's cargo. Will they succeed, or will Naruto and the others pull together to take the ship back?

Expect it sometime soon. I promise for real this time.

….Maybe.


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